Magistrate to give evidence in vehicle theft case

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Wednesday November 5, 2008 00:00

Taboka Slave will testify before Mareledi Dipate after allegations that Kesetse Gabatlhotshwe and Kagiso Segola were denied food, access to attorneys and threatened with assault to admit that they stole a government vehicle.

Lawyer, Basimane Bogopa for Segola said that his client's statement recorded before Slave should not be admitted as part of evidence because the suspects were under duress.

One of the police officers denied the allegations made by the defence attorney. Detective Inspector Joshua Ntau from Serious Crime Squad dismissed the claims by Gabatlhotshwe and Segola. He pointed out that he never exerted any force on the suspects. 'The two suspects were so humble and cooperative to the police investigation,' Ntau said. He added that he first met Gabatlhotshwe on November 6, 2005 when he was sent to release him from police cells.

He told the court that Gabatlhotshwe was re-arrested the following day with Segola. However, Bogopa was not moved by Ntau's assertions. He submitted that the suspects were made to confess by the fact that they knew the fate that was likely to befall them should they not agree. He said that Gabatlhotswe was re-arrested because he failed to honour the police deal.

Bogopa told the court that his clients confessed to the crime because they were subjected to intense torture by the police. He revealed that his clients pointed out that the head of Motor Vehicle Theft Unit at Serious Crime Squad, Phenyoetsile Nnanaakoko was the ringleader when the suspects were tortured. He said the suspects told him that they were threatened with physical violence. 'They tell me that you, Ntau and others who were in the interviewing room, told them that 'o tla mo bega jet'. Meaning that they would be stripped naked and put on the ground with their faces covered with black plastic bags and hands tied behind their heads before an officer put a boot on their necks and pulled their hands backwards,' Bogopa said. Ntau denied the claims adding their office is one of the best when it comes to handling suspects.

Gabatlhotshwe, Segola and Ernest Tsiane, who have all pleaded not guilty, face a single count of motor vehicle theft. They are accused of stealing the official car of the Minister of Agriculture in November 2005 at the ministry premises.