Botswana to use video conference in USA bank swindle case
Lebogang Mosikare | Friday April 17, 2015 16:25
Whether the conference will be in Gaborone or Francistown where the case is being heard will decided by principal magistrate, Dumisani Basupi, on May 13.
Yesterday, a prosecutor, Gasemotho Pitlagano told Basupi that the owners of the cards allegedly used in the swindle by the accused, Tendai Gwatu (27) and Godfrey Marecha (28) mostly stay in Dallas, Texas in the US. “Our witnesses in the USA are ready to give evidence through video conferencing and it will take place in Gaborone,” Pitlagano said.
However, this did not go down well with defence counsel, Farasai Fuzwayo, who submitted that the state’s attitude is inappropriate.
He stated that the prosecution was wrong to inform them in court that the video conferencing will be held in Gaborone while they are based in Francistown. He said that even Francistown has video conferencing facilities for cases at the High Court.
Fuzwayo said that the state should first make an application for video conferencing and allow the defence to respond.
In reply, Pitlagano said that he would have to liaise with the Assistant Director at the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Priscilla Israel, to confirm whether the video conferencing will be held in Gaborone or Francistown.
The state alleges that Gwatu and Marecha were found in possession of P125, 923,80 suspected to be stolen money. The accused were found in possession of 14 blue debit cards belonging to Bank Corp in the USA all bearing the same number (47849100105) and expiring on the same date, which they used to withdraw money electronically.
The prosecution says that it has information that Gwatu and Marecha are not the legitimate owners of the cards that they used to withdraw money from a First National Bank (FNB) Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in Francistown at Galo Mall. The prosecution also believes that the accused got the cards from their uncle, Angaliso Nguga, who lives in the USA.
However, the uncle would not come to Botswana to give evidence because Gaborone and Washington do not have an extradition treaty.
Pitlagano said the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) helped Botswana establish who the real owners of the cards are.