Ex CAAB employee murder trial begins
Lebogang Mosikare | Friday March 26, 2021 15:59
The incidents allegedly happened after the love relationship between the former aircraft marshal and his ex-girlfriend, Unami Sibanda, went sour. The state alleges that Motlatsi Khoto, 47, raped and murdered Metlha Sibanda on January 17, 2018 at Nyamambisi River in Marobela village.
Giving evidence, Metlha’s mother, Unami disclosed how their love relationship was characterised by incessant conflicts which sometimes involved the use of implements like shovels, sjamboks and knives. Unami insinuated that conflicts between her and Khoto were triggered by Khoto.
However, Unami later conceded that she was also to blame for stoking the conflicts. That was after defence attorney Kgosietsile Ngakaagae put it to her that she had opened numerous offences against Khoto with the police but Khoto was later cleared of having committed them by the courts in Francistown.
Unami was overcome by emotions when narrating her testimony and at some point asked for a short break in order to calm herself down. Justice Bengbame Sechele told Unami that he thought that a glass of water will do Unami good and the judge’s idea did wonders since Unami later regained composure for the rest of presentation of her testimony.
Unami testified that she suspected that something was amiss after her sister in Francistown informed her that Metlha was not home around 6 pm during that fateful day but was last seen in the company of Khoto.
Her fears, Unami further revealed, were amplified because at that time she was no longer living with Khoto and Metlha in Area W (Francistown) but in Marobela. Unami explained that she went to live in Marobela since she was afraid of Khoto following a misunderstanding.
“My sister Masego who was living in Francistown called my father in Marobela in the evening around 6 pm informing him that she could not locate the child. Masego also told my father that the child was last seen with Khoto. During that time I was living at my uncle’s place in Marobela. I then informed my father and uncle that we should go to Khoto’s place and ask him where the child was. We then enlisted the police and went to Khoto’s place but I told them that they should not alight from the car since I knew that Khoto was dangerous,” said a distressed Unami. Unami further narrated that she also told the police to park the car in the direction in which it was coming from... “Khoto admitted that he was with the child but left her playing with another child by the name of Emily when the police asked him where the child was... When Khoto spoke, I could see that he was very frightened, literally quacking in his boots. Khoto was also smoking cigarettes frequently and feverishly.
He told me to alight from the car but I told him that I could not do so since I was feeling cold... I thought that he was hiding the child somewhere in order to punish me... The child was later found dead in the river...” she said.
Ngakaagae’s cross-examination of Unami centred on reports that Unami made with the police against Khoto which were subsequently dismissed by the courts. Ngakaagae also succeeded in convincing Unami that the accusations and counter-accusations of who was to blame for instigating the conflicts fell squarely on her and Khoto.
The defence counsel also said that the word “hunting” that Unami used to describe how Khoto was looking for her was way too heavy. But Unami doubled down saying that she at some point slept in the bush because she was afraid that Khoto, who was hunting her, may do something bad to her.
Another State witness, Dr Paul Sidandi-a psychiatrist at Jubilee Mental Hospital-told the court that he examined Khoto following the orders of the Magistrate who initially presided over Khoto’s case and ordered that Khoto should undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
The psychiatrist said after he examined Khoto, he found out that Khoto was fit to stand trial although he was suffering from mild depression. “In my opinion, I found out that the patient was suffering from mild depression which was caused by social problems although he was fit to stand trial.
I recommended that he should attend psychological and psycho-social sessions. In addition, I recommended that he should continue taking anti-depressants...” Sidandi explained...
Motatuki Mpati, another State witness, also testified to the effect that he and other people were in the company of the police team that was led by Assistant Superintendent Lawrence Nthoiwa when Khoto voluntarily led them to the spot where the child was buried in Nyamambisi River in Marobela.
Mpati added that after they reached the spot where a corpse of the child was buried, Khoto dug a shallow pit in the river whereupon the corpse of a person he did not know was later found and retrieved.
After Mpati narrated his version of events as they unfolded on January 18, 2018, Ngakaagae told the court that he had no questions for the witness. Justice Bengbame Sechele postponed the matter to July 12 and 13 in order for the pathologist who examined Metlha’s corpse to testify. Prosecutor Ditshotlo Mpale from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions represented the State.