Molepolole Triple Murder Accused Out On Bail
Pini Bothoko | Monday October 8, 2018 13:06
The defence lawyer, Sesupo Masaka had made an application for bail pending trial.
Justice Tshepo Motswagole released Tebogo Ramantosha, 27, on bail on condition that he pays P5,000 cash and provide two sureties to bind themselves with the same amount. He ordered him to surrender his passport and report to Molepolole station commander twice a month.
“The applicant should give his contact address and phone number to the station commander whenever not residing at Molepolole and reasons of this will be given at a later stage,” said Motswagole.
Motswagole granted Tebogo bail despite State prosecution’s application that he did not have a place to stay if he were to be granted bail.
Masaka had told the court that if released on bail, the applicant would reside at the cattle post in the outskirts of Salajwe village where he will be taking care of the livestock being the only surviving member of the family.
Representing State prosecution, Daniel Fohlani had argued that the accused person’s ties with some members of the community raise eyebrows, something that makes him not the right candidate for bail.
He told the court that there was evidence that he had an association with someone selling drugs, whom he owes P10, 000 for marijuana.
“That man who is a convicted drug peddler might be implicated in the offence. Drugs are illegal in Botswana and we cannot allow a person with such behaviour back into the community. There is evidence that the applicant has financial problems and if (he) can be released on bail he might commit an offence,” he said.
Fohlani had pleaded with the court to take note that it took about a month for the police to arrest the applicant who had absconded from home three days after his family’s burial.
“After his family’s burial, the police told him that they would reach him after few days of grieve so that he could clarify few things and later disappeared.
Police looked for him for about a month and even went as far as Tonota until an ambush was prepared to arrest him. “It was strange for a man who is only the surviving member of the family to develop the habit of disappearing after his family’s killings,” said Flohlani, stating that the suspect is someone who could not be trusted because there is evidence that even his co-accused said he deceived them.
He told the court that there was evidence that Tebogo had the habit of coming home late at night and leave early in the morning.
Fohlani had pleaded with court for him to pay P10,000 cash and provide two sureties binding them with the same amount looking at the gravity of the offence he is faced with in which three lives were lost.
However, Masaka pleaded with the court to be lenient on him to at least pay P5,000 and provide one surety because both his maternal and paternal family members do not want to be associated with him following the offence he is alleged to have committed.
Tebogo and his co-accused Mmoloki Tlhaelo, 37, Poloko Segwagwa, 27, and Cornelious Saidoo, 28, are suspected to have murdered Patrick Ramantosha, 55, his wife Boingotlo Fridah Ramantosha, 47, and their son Keabetswe Ramantosha (22) on June 22, 2018 at Ntloelengwae ward in Molepolole.