Accused plead not guilty of Zain�s Store theft

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Friday July 25, 2014 16:42

 

Joseph Gaie (27), Jeromia Moadi (31) Duncan Lesedi (24) and Benny Motswagole (29) appeared before Village Magistrate Court president Goodwill Makofi yesterday.

The four are accused of stealing goods which include Mascom, Orange, be Mobile and BTC airtime amounting to P15,220 approximately P3,360 cash, Nokia and Samsung cellphones totalling P9,613.  The stolen goods are estimated to be worth a total of P28,193.

The state said that the quartet together with another man who wasn’t present in court, on July 15, 2014 forced themselves into the store, assaulted the employees and escaped with the stolen goods.

Sub Inspector Oageng Tirelo told court that five of the stolen cellphones with a total value of P2,898 had been recovered.

Tirelo pleaded that the quartet remains in police custody while the investigations were still on going so that they could not temper with evidence.

Gaie, however, told court that he was on tuberculosis treatment and pleaded to be given his medication.

The four accused told the court that they would represent themselves throughout their trial.

Makofi said that since the four men were involved in a serious crime, he would not grant them bail.

They are due in court again on August 7, 2014.