Ex-cop 'guilty' of wife's murder
Lebogang Mosikare | Tuesday June 21, 2022 06:00
Passing judgement recently at the High Court, Justice Bengbame Sechele said the State has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Mogomotsi Legae, 41, had murdered Olerato Legae, a meteorological services worker, on July 13, 2016 in Letlhakane.
Justice Sechele said since Legae had initially admitted to murdering Olerato but later changed his plea, the question that arises is whether or not he perpetrated the crime.
“I do not doubt that the deceased (Olerato) died on the evening of July 13, 2016. This is very much clear from the evidence of her friend who went to her place but found the house unlit. It is highly unlikely that the deceased could have interacted with any other person other than the accused. The fact that the accused left Letlhakane the very evening of his arrival speaks volumes.
A husband who has been away from his wife for some time would have been expected to spend the night. Therefore, I am of the view that his visit was abruptly terminated on account of murdering his wife,” Sechele clarified.
When Olerato was found dead, Mogomotsi was working as a laboratory technician at Kazungula during the construction of the Kazungula Bridge.
The fact that he thereafter, Sechele continued, disappeared without a trace speaks volumes of a man who was not only in flight but as well as hell-bent on concealing his whereabouts from the law.
Sechele shared with the court that when the accused was arrested, he was wearing a pair of jeans which had some stains suspected to be blood. He said a DNA test was conducted on the pair of jeans allegedly worn by the accused to see if the sample would match the deceased’s blood.
“How then did such stains land on the accused’s pair of jeans? The accused had tried to distance himself from this pair of jeans. He claimed to have been wearing a slim-fit pair of jeans [on the day of the offence].
“The defence alibi raised by the accused herein bore the hallmarks of an afterthought. It was sprung on the prosecution at the last moment and could not, therefore, be investigated. I reject it,” Sechele said.
“I take the view that the State has proved the charge of murder against the accused beyond all reasonable doubt and he is consequently convicted of murder,” he added.
During the trial, psychiatrist, Dr Paul Sidandi testified that after he examined Mogomotsi after a charge of murder was levelled against him, he (Sidandi) concluded that although Mogomotsi was suffering from mild depression at the time he allegedly committed the offence, he was fit to stand trial.
Mogomotsi is due in court on June 24, 2022, for a ruling on extenuating circumstances.