Exhibits missing in Setlampoloka murder trial
Mpho Mokwape | Thursday May 21, 2015 14:54
Yesterday the prosecutor, Dumisani Marapo told Justice Leatile Dambe when the case resumed that the state is in a predicament because the missing exhibits may affect the flow of the case.
Marapo explained that the exhibits were transferred from Mogoditshane Police station to Mochudi station where the investigating officer was based.
He said the officers he sent to Mochudi to collect the exhibits came back empty handed. “The exhibits were not found but as of now two of the witnesses scheduled for today (yesterday) had nothing to do with the exhibits so the trial may proceed,” he said.
The six police officers standing accused of murdering Setlampoloka are detective assistant superintendent Thuso Dintwe, sub-inspector Ranto Mmereki, constables Tebogo Khutsafalo, Kabo Ramohibidu, Michael Ramohitshane and Patrick Gobotswang.
Their trial resumed with one of the two witnesses scheduled to take the stand yesterday. Earlier, the judge reprimanded the prosecutor for waiting until the last minute to locate the exhibits.
“It was clear that the trial was coming up today and as such you should have not waited until the eleventh hour to locate the exhibits,” she said.
The court papers state that, Setlampoloka of Mahalapye was found dead near Gabane on July 30, 2009, a day after his arrest and detention at Mogoditshane Police Station.
It was reported that Setlaampoloka was arrested by members of the Serious Crimes Squad in connection with a spate of armed robberies. It is alleged that the suspect died under torture as the police tried to extract a confession from him. The police allegedly took his body to Senamakola farmlands near Gabane where they simulated suicide by hanging his body from a tree.
The six policemen face more charges connected to the death including unlawful disposal of the body. The officers are alleged to have tried to dispose of the objects they used to kill Setlaampoloka and disposing the body in order to cover their tracks.
They are also facing charges of giving false information to a person employed in the public service. Only one of the six, Constable Gobotswang, is facing one more charge of destroying evidence.
They have all pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
By the time of going to print only one state witness was being cross-examined by the two defence counsels, Busang Manewe and Kgosiitsile Ngakaagae.