Trigger-happy Serumola denied bail

Innocent Selatlhwa | Thursday November 5, 2015 14:41

 

Delivering her ruling, Ncube said: “For a bail application, the court has to take into consideration the likelihood of the suspect absconding, the severity of the punishment in the event the suspect is convicted, the nature of the charges, the character of the suspect and previous convictions as well as balancing the will of the suspects and that of the prosecution.”

Ncube considered the facts presented by the Investigating Officer (IO) detective superintendent Sergeant Marapo that the suspect had fled after the incident and was only caught after a tip off that he had just arrived back in Botswana.

To this Ncube said there was a possibility that the suspect might abscond.

Ncube also considered the submission by the IO that the suspect has a previous murder conviction in which he served jail term and this makes him unsuitable for bail.

Marapo last week told court that Serumola was recently released from jail after stabbing his then girlfriend more than 20 times ending her life in the process.

Ncube said the fact that the pistol used in the shooting has not yet been recovered with the IO also pointing out that the suspect could harm the victim could not be ignored, hence the bail denial.

The suspect who has 14 days to appeal to the High Court will appear again in court on November 18. Serumola (45) is alleged to have on October 9, 2015 near the Ministry of Health in the Government Enclave, unlawfully attempted to murder a woman (name known to this publication) by shooting her with a pistol.