Three carjacking suspects remanded in custody

Lebogang Mosikare | Tuesday June 25, 2019 14:20

The state alleges that Benito Mazinyane, Dumisani Ncube and Amogelang Modisaotsile robbed Mmoloki and Moshe Makhumalo of their vehicle and goods at Borolong on February 20, 2019. When the accused appeared in court for mention on Tuesday, inspector Kenneth Edward told the court that investigations into the matter are still ongoing.

“Our investigations are still continuing. We are yet to arrest three other suspects in connection with this matter. We are hopeful to arrest other suspects very soon. We pray for another mention date to be set and for the accused to be further remanded in custody,” Edward pleaded.

Mazinyane asked Edward what offences he was charged with, to which he replied: “The accused was initially charged with entering Botswana illegally and robbing a car.

He has another matter at Tatitown Police Station. He may be confusing his current charges with the Tatitown matter”. Replying to what Edward had said, Ncube asked him when the investigations in the matter would be completed. Edward replied: “We are not sure of when the investigations will be completed.

Circumstances surrounding the arrest of three other suspects who are on the run will determine when the investigations will be completed. We are hopeful that they would not take forever. The accused are also facing serious charges, which need time to be thoroughly investigated.

We fear that releasing the accused on bail would jeopardise our investigations”. Modisaotsile on the other hand claimed that the police tortured him after they arrested him on Friday. “I was initially told that I was arrested in connection with breaking and stealing from a dwelling house at Molapo and I told them that I knew nothing about that offence.

The police then tortured me. The police then asked me if I knew anything about a housebreaking incident that happened in Tatisiding. I further told them that I knew nothing. I also know nothing about the car robbery offence and even my co-accused persons.

You can ask them if they know me and they will tell you that they don’t know me,” Modisaotsile claimed. At that point, the Chief Magistrate Faith Dlamini-Ngandu told Makhumalo that more than 90% of accused persons always claim to be innocent. She added that once investigations are complete, it would be clear if Modisaotsile is connected to the offence or not.

Edward also applied for blood samples to be extracted from the accused because there was blood found at the scene. Asked by Dlamini-Ngandu if they were objecting to their blood samples being extracted, Mazinyane said that traces of his blood samples were left at the scene of the incident after the police assaulted him.

“I wiped some of the blood with my jacket which the police have confiscated,” Mazinyane said. Ncube told the court that his blood has already being extracted by the police while Modisaotsile said that he did not have a problem with the extraction of his blood sample.

At the end of the mention, Dlamini-Ngandu made an order for Mazinyane and Modisaotsile’s blood samples to be extracted. The accused are due in court on July 9 for another mention.

The state alleges that Benito Mazinyane, Dumisani Ncube and Amogelang Modisaotsile robbed Mmoloki and Moshe Makhumalo of their vehicle and goods at Borolong on February 20, 2019.

When the accused appeared in court for mention on Tuesday, inspector Kenneth Edward told the court that investigations into the matter are still ongoing.

Mazinyane asked Edward what offences he was charged with, to which he replied: “The accused was initially charged with entering Botswana illegally and robbing a car. He has another matter at Tatitown Police Station. He may be confusing his current charges with the Tatitown matter”.

Replying to what Edward had said, Ncube asked him when the investigations in the matter would be completed.

Edward replied: “We are not sure of when the investigations will be completed. Circumstances surrounding the arrest of three other suspects who are on the run will determine when the investigations will be completed. We are hopeful that they would not take forever. The accused are also facing serious charges, which need time to be thoroughly investigated. We fear that releasing the accused on bail would jeopardise our investigations”.

Modisaotsile on the other hand claimed that the police tortured him after they arrested him on Friday.

“I was initially told that I was arrested in connection with breaking and stealing from a dwelling house at Molapo and I told them that I knew nothing about that offence. The police then tortured me. The police then asked me if I knew anything about a housebreaking incident that happened in Tatisiding. I further told them that I knew nothing. I also know nothing about the car robbery offence and even my co-accused persons. You can ask them if they know me and they will tell you that they don’t know me,” Modisaotsile claimed.

At that point, the Chief Magistrate Faith Dlamini-Ngandu told Makhumalo that more than 90% of accused persons always claim to be innocent.

She added that once investigations are complete, it would be clear if Modisaotsile is connected to the offence or not.

Edward also applied for blood samples to be extracted from the accused because there was blood found at the scene.

Asked by Dlamini-Ngandu if they were objecting to their blood samples being extracted, Mazinyane said that traces of his blood samples were left at the scene of the incident after the police assaulted him.

“I wiped some of the blood with my jacket which the police have confiscated,” Mazinyane said.

Ncube told the court that his blood has already being extracted by the police while Modisaotsile said that he did not have a problem with the extraction of his blood sample.

At the end of the mention, Dlamini-Ngandu made an order for Mazinyane and Modisaotsile’s blood samples to be extracted.

The accused are due in court on July 9 for another mention.