Robbery accused claims police torture

Victor Muyakwabo | Thursday January 23, 2014 15:44

Mhina Ally Mhina was yesterday arraigned for an armed robbery case that he, Modulasetilo Seretse and three others who were not before court, allegedly committed on January 14 this year at Phase 1V.

The five are alleged to have used violence to rob Pogiso Matlhare of an amount of P450,000, R42,000, gold jewellery valued at P85,000 as well as three gold coins all being the property of one Chetnaben Nagarbhai.

Before the investigating officer was called to testify, prosecutor Sub Inspector Oageng Tirelo told the court that police investigations were still at an early stage and that the other three accused persons were still at large.

'The accused in attendance today is of foreign nationality and his travelling documents have not yet been verified,' said Tirelo.

He requested the court to extend the accused’s remand warrant to allow police to conduct further investigations.

In response to Tirelo’s submissions, Mhina told the court that he was innocent and accused the police of torturing him and his girlfriend to extract information from them.

'[Modulasetilo] Seretse told the police that I was not among their syndicate when the robbery happened so I do not know why they are still dragging me before the court,” submitted Mhina.

Mhina alleged that he was requested by the police to show them where the other accused persons stay. He alleged that since then he had been kept in handcuffs and leg irons.

In response, Tirelo called investigating officer Thatayaone Marupe to the dock to explain how Mhina was linked to the matter.

“I arrested the accused person because I received information from a reliable source that he was among the syndicate that staged a robbery at Gaborone Phase IV on the 14th of this month,” said Marupe.

Marupe told the court that Mhina was in possession of P2,900 which he failed to account for when he was arrested.

He said Mhina had given his girlfriend Amogelang Basima some money that she used to buy a Toyota Spacio, a day after the alleged robbery was committed.

Thereafter, an emotional Mhina failed to cross-examine Marupe and repeatedly asked him why he wanted to send him to prison when he knew that he did not commit the crime.