Murder-Accused Loses Composure In Arraignment
Lebogang Mosikare | Wednesday August 18, 2021 09:26
Reality may have finally set in for Antonio Basipo Moses, 31, a Clearance Agent at Regent Investment, when he was arraigned for the alleged murder of Lesego Bashe on August 16, 2021, at Tati Siding.
While Moses shed tears at his arraignment after realising the gravity of his alleged actions in the offence he is accused of having committed, prosecutor Moatlhodi Macheng applied for his remand in jail because the matter is still fresh.
Macheng then called the Investigation Officer (IO) Detective Inspector Richard Malibamba to give reasons why Moses should be further remanded in custody following his arrest at the White City location where he went to ‘dump’ the body of his girlfriend.
Malibamba told the court that the matter he is yet to interview potential witnesses in the case.
“The accused was arrested at White City where the deceased resided on August 16. She was murdered at Tati Siding and then taken to White City in Francistown. The family of the deceased is still shocked by what happened to her,” Malibamba said.
However, Magistrate Thabang Chokwe said that at that point, it was still premature for the prosecution to state with certainty where the offence occurred since that will be later established following further investigation.
Before Malibamba got inside the witness box to motivate reasons why a weeping Moses should not be released, Chokwe had advised Moses of his right concerning the application for his remand in custody.
Moses, who was already overwhelmed, had lost composure, so teary he could not even exercise his right.
This prompted Chokwe to ask Moses if he can briefly adjourn the arraignment for Moses to regain his composure before responding to the IO.
“Please try to collect yourself so that you can ask the IO questions why he says you should further be remanded in custody,” said Chokwe.
In the middle of sobbing and sighing heavily, Moses later managed to state that he had no questions for the IO.
At the end of the arraignment, Chokwe remanded Moses in custody as per the prosecution's application until September 28.