I stole, but not in the way It was described

Lebogang Baingapi | Monday June 22, 2015 16:19

 

Chaba told Detective Constable Kabelo Keikotlhae that he had indeed stolen the goods but not the way it was potrayed in court. He said he had taken the phones but not broken into the house as stated.

Keikotlhae who was also the state witness told court that on 22 March 2015 he received a report from police on roadblock at Moatle, that the accused person had in his possession a Lenovo smart phone and a Blackberry iPad, which he confessed to have stolen in Jwaneng.

The officer said that the accused confessed to stealing the phones and voluntarily led them to the spot where he had thrown away the simcards. He further told court that the accused also led him to a trench where he had thrown a stolen jacket, and took them to the crime scene in Unit 3.

“We found the complainant at home who confirmed that his two phones were missing, but said he thought he had misplaced them in the house, and never imagined that they had been stolen,” he said.

Keikotlhae added that the accused had voluntarily demonstrated how he had entered through a window where he found the complainant sleeping and he took the phones from the couch. 

In his defence, the unemployed Keikotlhae said that on that fateful day he decided to visit a friend of his in Sese but got delayed while drinking chibuku at a depot in Jwaneng.When he realised that there were no combies at the Sese bus rank, he hiked to Gaborone at midnight. The accused further said that since it was cold, he saw a Debswana jacket on a washing line in one yard and threw it on.

 “I then looked through the house window and saw two phones on the couch. I looked for a wire to pull them out and I did. Yes, I stole the phones but not the way the investigating officer has alleged,” he said.

Chaba blamed police officers for the mess, claiming that they are the ones who forced him, previously during investigation, to state that he had climbed through a window to take the phones.

 “They said that if I confessed to that the case would be over and the phones would be returned to the owner. I am however disappointed that has not been the case as this is not an easy matter,” he said.

Chaba also said that the investigating officer was not bringing anything new to court, expect an excerpt from the accused.

He also insisted that the complainant had not reported his missing phones to the police, arguing that the investigating officer should have taken pictures of the said window and presented it as evidence in court, adding that in that case it would be debated whether a person of his size could go through a burglar bar. The accused will appear in court for sentencing on July 9, 2015.