Barcelos robbery suspects granted bail
Tumelo Mouwane | Wednesday December 14, 2016 13:38
Tshepo Batshabane (22), Tshwanelo Tshimologo (34) and Thabo Dube (32) were arrested on August 15, 2016 during a shootout with the police at roadblock in Lobatse. Dube was injured on the left hand and admitted at Princess Marina Hospital. He was discharged from hospital four weeks later.
The accused are alleged to have robbed Barcelos restaurant at Hillside Mall in Lobatse. Cash amounting to P5,000 and customers’ cell phones were confiscated from the suspects on the night. Before the restaurant attack, the two are said to have robbed Amos Mugufo his Toyota Corolla at gunpoint at BMC estates in Lobatse. The vehicle, allegedly used in the robbery, was later retrieved at Ipelegeng CJSS the following day.
In his bail application, Tshimologo said the snail pace of investigations frustrated him.
“I don’t know why police investigations are taking this long. They keep on fetching us from prison and yet nothing progresses. Each and every mention we see a new prosecutor. Sometimes they tell us there are no vehicles to fetch us. The police are costing us our liberty at their pleasure; we request bail,” he said.
Dube cited injuries. “I am badly injured and I can’t do anything with this hand like this. I need bail to at least get assistance from home where someone may assist me to do basic necessities. The police shot me and when I was hospitalised they came and took my fingerprints without even telling me why. What if I was equally signing my death warrant? The investigation officer must be summoned to explain,” Dube submitted. The prosecutor Mshingo Kedikanetswe was equally concerned.
“I am also wondering why the case is dragging for so long. I even questioned why the investigating officer was allowed to go on a trip. He was supposed to come do what he promised the court,” Kedikanetswe said.
Also concerned was Magistrate Lebakeng. “I am not like other magistrates and I am of the view that the police take lives for granted. Have your ever been locked in a house for a day and felt how it is? I don’t understand why the police can have resources to arrest someone yet they will not have resources to help that client of theirs,” she said.
She continued: “When it is on police convenience, vehicle are available to fetch the accused persons from prison for investigations, yet when it’s on the accused persons’ convenience, police tend to drag their feet. I am totally against that and I am going to grant the accused persons bail”.
On the allegation of fraudulent fingerprinting, the magistrate summoned the investigating officer to appear and brief court on the next mention. “Otherwise the station commander or officer in charge must be brought here to give account as to why the accused was fingerprinted without his consent,” Lebakeng said.
The accused were granted cash bail of P1,000 each; produce two sureties who will bind themselves with the same amount and to report thrice a day at Lobatse and Broadhurst police station respectively. Among other conditions are that the accused persons should not leave Gaborone and Lobatse respectively without informing the police.