Dichaba explains his absence from court

Faith Siako | Tuesday January 19, 2016 15:02

 

The 22-year-old Dichaba stabbed a 32-year-old man at a shebeen in 2012 and has not been appearing before the Magistrate Court after his last mention in March 2015.

Briefing the court on why he has not appeared in coura, Dichaba said that he has been kept at the Serowe State Prison for six months.

“After my last mention in March 2015, I was arrested on May 28, 2015 and I was taken to Serowe Prison where I have been kept for the past six months,” he said.

He added that at prison he was not told anything and did not know he was supposed to come for any mentions hence he did not come to court.

Dichaba also said that after he was released from prison he was so sick that he could not make it to court.

“I was very sick that I was not fit to come to court for three months after I came from prison,” he said, adding that he gave the police who arrested him all the medical records to prove his ill health.

He said that he also went to Topisi Police Station to report himself and also asked them to give him his mention dates but the police never gave him any feedback.

He was arrested by Selebi-Phikwe police officers last week.

Chief Magistrate Kamogelo Mmesi said that, the prosecutor had confirmed that Dichaba had been at Serowe Prison for six months and that the police officers have  medical records of his illness hence his reasons were valid.

“You will continue to be on bail because your reasons for missing your mentions for 10 months are valid before this court, but if you do not appear for court once, you will be kept in prison until trial,” she said. Dichaba will appear again on February 1 and his trial is due on June 13, 2016.