Zimbabwean duo denied bail

Tumelo Mouwane | Tuesday June 21, 2016 15:50

 

The two men were arrested in Mmathethe village, near Lobatse on June 1 for allegedly driving a car with false registration numbers, B 465 AKA.

The two accused persons asked for bail but their plea was turned down as Dipate said they have been staying in Botswana illegally for the past 11 years.

“You have both stayed in Botswana illegally for the past 11 years. You told the court in your last mention that you don’t have residence permits hence I will not consider granting you bail,” Dipate said.

The state prosecutor in the case, Sub Inspector Shadrack Naganeng of Goodhope police station said investigations into the matter have been handed to Serious Crime Squad and Interpol for “intense” investigations.

“The investigations into this case have been handed to Serious Crime Squad for intense investigations to try to establish the whereabouts of the vehicle hence we ask for further remand of the accused persons in custody,” he said. When pleading for bail, Muzamido said he was only a passenger in the vehicle.

 “I deny the charges levelled against me because the person who gave the police the keys of the car and his driver’s licence disappeared after asking to use the bathroom when we were arrested.

I was only a passenger in that vehicle because I was going to attend to a breakdown in Goodhope. I ask for bail whilst the police are still looking for the other suspect,” he pleaded.

His co-accused, Sibanda said he was only involved in the case because his younger brother had asked him to help him with his car.

“My younger brother asked me to help him with his car on the day, that’s why I was involved. I don’t have parents and my property is unsafe in Phase 3. I therefore plead for bail,” Sibanda said.

In another matter before magistrate Tshepo Thedi, a 32-year-old man of Mmathethe village, Obakeng Ramathukgele pleaded not guilty to a single count of unlawful wounding.

Ramathukgele is alleged to have stabbed his girlfriend Lebogang Motswakae on both hands and in the stomach. The incident allegedly took place in Mathethe village.