12 Mar 2014

Village Magistrate Court  is expected to make ruling on a bail variation application by two men accused of stealing money and property worth over P500 000 early this year in Gaborone.

The two men, who made the request during their regular mention on Monday, March 10, are Moses Ketembele and Mhina Mhina who were charged alongside Modulasetilo Seretse. The fourth suspect had not yet been apprehended. 

The trio are on a P10 000 bail bond each after their lawyers Messrs Leonard Mosepele and Shame Taimu told the court that they could not raise the P10 000 that they were required to each deposit with the court treasury in order for them to be given bail among other conditions.

However, on Monday, Mhina told Magistrate Goodwill Makofi that he would like his bail conditions varied to allow him to report once weekly at Gaborone West Police Station as opposed to twice as he was staying far away in Tlokweng. He argued that the present arrangement was cumbersome and costly for him. 

The same sentiments were expressed by his co-accused, Ketembele who said he had since been suspended from work and was finding it difficult to commute twice a week to report at Gaborone West Police Station.  He said ever since his suspension, his coffers had dried up.

In addition, Ketembele told the magistrate that he wanted his cellphone which was confiscated by the police during his arrest to be returned to him, to which the magistrate said, he will be in a better position to respond in the next mention when the substantive prosecutor, Mr Moakofi Seilane will be present to update the court on the matter. 

Other bail conditions were that they produce two sureties who will each bond themselves for P 5000.  They were also not to commit any criminal offense while on bail. Ketembele, who is a foreigner, was also ordered to surrender his travel documents to the police.

According to the particulars of the offense, the trio robbed one Pogiso Matlhare at Phase IV location in Gaborone the sum of P450 000, R42 000, jewelry worth P85 000 and three gold coins, whose value is not yet know to the prosecution. 

Thereafter, they visited violence on the victim. The accused are expected back in court on April 10. Ends