Another charge for Facebook ‘fraudster’
Lebogang Mosikare | Tuesday April 25, 2023 06:00
The state alleges that Phatsimo Ketshabile fraudulently and unlawfully obtaining P9,500 from Kemang Busang at or near the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) camp by falsely representing that he was selling a Honda Fit car to Busang while he knew what he was saying was dishonest.
When Ketshabile appeared in court on Friday for a status hearing and bail ruling, Prosecutor Gasemotho Pitlagano told the court that the police managed to get a statement from another complainant, Pearl Sethunya, who said that the accused obtained money from her through false pretences. “As such, we will make an application for the substitution of the previous charge sheet when the accused appears in court during the next mention. We, therefore, pray that the accused should be further remanded in custody,” Pitlagano said.
Asked if he had anything to say, Ketshabile said: “I pray with the court to grant me bail because my two children are suffering as no one is taking care of them since I was incarcerated.”
However, Principal Magistrate Tshepo Magetse poured cold water on Ketshabile’s plea. Magetse told Ketshabile that he should have seriously reflected on the consequences of his actions before he allegedly committed the offences. Thereafter, Magetse denied Ketshabile bail and he is due in court on May 2. Previously, the investigating officer (IO) said: “We received a complaint that the accused unlawfully obtained P9,500 and on April 10 we managed to arrest the accused.
Our investigations so far show that the modus operandi (method) used by the accused to defraud people is to the effect that he advertised his car for sale on Facebook.
The complainant communicated with the accused and told him that he was interested in buying the Honda Fit. The accused told the complainant that he was coming to Francistown to sell him (the complainant) the car.
But later, the accused called the complainant saying that he was arrested by deputy sheriffs and they needed P9,500 to release him otherwise they would confiscate and sell his car to compensate for the P9,500 that he owed them.” The IO then told the court that Busang sent the accused P4,000 using Orange Money and his girlfriend also sent Ketshabile the remaining P5,500 using the same money transfer mode.