Shop break-in, theft-accused citizenship in doubt

Lebogang Mosikare | Thursday June 12, 2014 06:00

The two, Balule Adzina and Matiba Ncube, allegedly stole P20,000 cash and goods worth P46,100 on October 15, last year and have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Basupi told the accused that it would not be safe for them to be given bail before their citizenship has been established.

Said Basupi: “Both the accused are remanded in custody to ascertain if they have Omangs (national identity card) or not. If they are foreigners the state should prove if their passports are valid before their bail application can be listened to.”

They are due in court on June 20. Earlier, Adzina strongly opposed the application by the state to keep him in custody after prosecutor Mbatshi Mafa said he was a Zimbabwean. Adzina said the case has taken more than nine months to be registered in court.

“I apply to be given bail in this matter,” said Adzina. 

He maintained that he is a Motswana adding that: 

“I took the police to my place of abode but unfortunately we found the place locked. The police did not bother to call my sister to testify if I am Motswana.”

Ncube said that the police did not ask him if he had a passport when they arrested him.

He said he told the police that his passport was at his girlfriend’s place, who was at work at the time. Ncube said the police did not bother to take him to his girlfriend’s work place where the keys to the house he is sharing with his girlfriend were.

The investigating officer Gabriel Letlowa told the court that when he arrested the accused he asked for their Omang and passports but they did not produce anything.