Former cop admits irregularities in Setlampoloka murder trial
Mpho Mokwape | Wednesday March 9, 2016 17:51
Six police officers are facing charges of murdering Setlampoloka, who allegedly died after being tortured for a confession. The deceased’s body was found hanging from a tree in Gabane in a suspected cover up to feign suicide.
On Monday when the case resumed at the High Court, 43-year-old, Lekang Masono admitted during cross-examination that the alleged crime scene was not properly secured to protect crucial evidence.
Masono came on the stand as the sixth state witness and faced a barrage of questions from defence attorneys, Busang Manewe and Kgosietsile Ngakaagae.
During cross-examination from Manewe, Masono conceded that the first police officer at the crime scene had failed to secure the area to avoid any interference with crucial evidence, especially the protection of footprints.
“I admit that the crime scene was not secured and no elimination of foot prints was done to separate those that could be of the suspects, police and onlookers. That should have been the first thing to do,” he said.
Manewe had poked questions at the witness about what transpired at the crime scene and how the investigations were conducted to make sure that crucial evidence was protected.
“In your evidence you admitted that there were many people at the crime scene including so many police officers and onlookers and yet the place was left unsecured. I find it very bizarre and unusual,” the defence lawyer said.
On the exhibit of a dry cleaning receipt that was found on the alleged crime scene belonging to one of the accused, Manewe asked Masono why it was photographed on the road yet he had testified that it was found in the bush.
Ngakaagae closed the cross-examination by asking questions about receipts and a piece of cable that was alleged to have been used to stage a suicide of the deceased.
He asked the witness why the receipt was moved before being photographed and why its contents were never captured on camera.
“The receipt is so small and its content can’t even be seen. How can it be used in court as evidence? The fact that it also appears as according to your evidence it was moved from one place to another before being photographed says a lot,” he said.
The six police officers, Detective Assistant Superintendent Thuso Dintwe, Sub Inspector Ranto Mmeleki, Constable Tebogo Khutsafalo, Constable Kabo Ramohibidu, Constable Michael Ramohitshane, and Constable Patrick Gobotswang, are alleged to have killed Setlampoloka.
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 Setlampoloka was arrested by members of the Serious Crimes Squad in connection with a spate of armed robberies.
It is further alleged that Setlampoloka died while being tortured by police attempting to extract a confession from him.
The police allegedly took his body to Senamakola farmlands near Gabane where they simulated a suicide by hanging his body from a tree.
The six policemen face more charges connected to the death, including unlawful disposal of the body to cover their tracks. Gobotswang faces a further charge of destroying evidence.
All have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case continues with more state witnesses expected to take the stand until Friday.