'Bayport fraudster, accomplice' granted bail
Lebogang Mosikare | Monday April 17, 2023 06:00
However, the alleged mastermind of the crime was denied bail. According to the charge sheet, the agent, Mauba Moreti, 32, Morekolodi Moseki, 28, and Michael Gabatshabe, 23, acting together with a common purpose by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtained P269,000 from Bridget Thobolo by falsely pretending themselves as people capable of multiplying money when in actual fact and in truth they knew that to be false.
The accused allegedly committed the offence on February 3 in Francistown.
When the accused appeared before Magistrate Thabang Chokwe for bail application and amendment of the charge sheet to include other similar offences that the accused allegedly committed, prosecutor Rodger Bosena-who was standing on behalf of the substantive prosecutor Ewetse Jane-proposed that the matter should be postponed to April 20 when Jane and the substantive magistrate Tshepo Magetse will be available.
Attorney Oratile Koonne, who is representing the alleged mastermind, Moseki, said the date was suitable for his client. Koonne also pleaded with the court that it should make an order for the Investigating Officer (IO) in the matter to be present during the next mention date in order to allow him to make an application for bail for Moseki.
Bosena told the court that his instructions were that the accused save for Moseki should be granted bail on condition that they each pay P5,000, each bring two sureties who will bind themselves in the like sum, surrender their travel documents, if any, not interfere with state witnesses, report to a police station nearest and suitable to each of the accused fortnightly and not be reasonably suspected of having committed any offence whilst on bail. Magistrate Chokwe then granted the accused bail on the conditions that were proposed by the prosecution.
Chokwe also made an order for the IO to appear in court on April 20. Previously, Magetse had denied the accused bail on account that money they allegedly defrauded was a substantial amount.
The magistrate added that since the prosecution has intimated that it will lay similar charges against the accused, it was in the best interests of the society and the prosecution to remand the accused in jail because there are reasonable suspicions that they may commit more offences whilst on bail.
There were murmurs from some people who attended court that some of the accused persons have also defrauded them. In fact, on February 21, Botswana Police Service (BPS) released a picture of Moseki on their Facebook page informing the public that any person with information about his whereabouts should contact Francistown Police Station or the nearest police station.