DPP refuses to drop case against Nthoiwa

Correspondent | Tuesday February 14, 2023 15:43

 

Nthoiwa allegedly robbed Shepherd Jubane of P13,000 at gunpoint before escaping with Jubane’s Alteza in September 2016 in Francistown.

Before Nthoiwa appeared before Magistrate Game Mooketsi, there had been speculation Nthoiwa and Jubane had buried the hatchet and the latter had allegedly decided to drop charges against the former. However, things took a different twist when attorney Moffat Dick from the DPP told the court that the director of the DPP has refused their application for charges against Nthoiwa to be dropped.

Asked if he had anything to say, Nthoiwa told the court that he had nothing to say save to tell the court that he will inform his attorney Mishingo Jeremia who was at the High Court about the latest development. Nthoiwa will appear in court on April 3 for Case Management Conference (CMC). Nthoiwa fled to South Africa (SA) after the robbery charge was levelled against him. He was handed over to Botswana authorities in November last year. Following his extradition to Botswana, the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) General Fannie Masemola said SA is not a playground for criminals and fugitives. “These ongoing arrests and take down operations should send a stern warning to those fugitives of justice who are in the country and criminals in South Africa that we are squeezing the space for them to operate, either they hand themselves over to authorities or we fetch them ourselves. South Africa is not a hiding place and a playground for criminals,” Masemola said. Before Nthoiwa escaped to SA, he was already facing a slew of charges in Botswana but right now the status of the cases is not yet known. In one of the cases, the state alleges that Nthoiwa and his girlfriend, Sharon Jubane were found in possession of dagga weighing 62kg at Minestone location on May 13, 2014.

Nthoiwa is also implicated in a case in which together with Nchidzi Bakhobi, Terence Molefe, Tholego Mphapho, and Galemong Latlhelang are alleged to have set fire to an exhibit room at Botswana Police Service Northern Division Headquarters and the process burning dagga that was stored inside the room between August 22 and 23, 2015.

In a related matter, the state alleges that the accused acting jointly with a common purpose, knowing that the dagga may be used in proceedings against him, Nthoiwa willfully removed the dagga from the exhibit room in August 2015.