Crime Partner Who Aided Escaped Murderer Arrested

Mpho Tshwaane | Monday January 23, 2017 17:43

 

The state alleges that Newton James, 36, assisted Gaomodimo Molosiwa, 27, to illegally escape justice by unlawfully accommodating him in his house knowing very well that he had escaped from prison.

The offence carries a maximum sentence of seven years in jail.

The incident allegedly happened between January 14 and 18.

Sub Inspector Kelebonye Matsapa applied for charges to be read to the accused and his plea be reserved to allow the police to continue with their investigations.

Matsapa added: “The prosecution is aware that the accused person is a Motswana but we pray he be remanded in custody as our investigations are still ongoing.

We fear that if the accused is granted bail at this stage, he may interfere with our investigations”. “The team that is investigating this matter is the very same team that is busy searching for other 13 prisoners who recently escaped from jail,” Matsapa said.

On the other hand, James prayed with the court to grant him bail because he knew nothing about the offence.

“I didn’t know that the accused person escaped from jail. He told me that he was granted bail, hence I accommodated him at my place. Since the police arrested me for two days, I don’t know what my young children are eating because their mother is ill in Zimbabwe. I was arrested when I was on my way to collect the children’s passports to facilitate their visit to their mother in Zimbabwe,” James, who is a self-employed carpenter, pleaded with the court.

He said he was currently doing a piece job at Cresta Thapama Hotel and his employees were very angry with him because he had not paid them.

After James made his prayers before court, Magistrate Ishmael Molobe asked Matsapa if James had a hand in helping the other 13 prisoners to escape from lawful custody.

In response, Matsapa told the court that the investigating team that has been assigned to look for other prisoners who recently escaped from prison is the one that is best placed to know if James helped them to escape or not.

At the end of the mention, Molobe denied James bail for fear that he may interfere with investigations.

“The head of the investigations team shall appear in court on February 3 to tell the court if the accused person aided other escaped prisoner to escape or not. The accused shall remain in custody until then,” Molobe said. Molosiwa has been sentenced to jail for a cumulative 38 years for three counts of armed robbery and is still on trial for other robbery matters before different Magistrates courts.

He is also charged with breaking and stealing from a house.

As that was not enough, he assaulted prosecutor Mompoloki Gaboiphiwe last year, a charge that is also pending before the courts.

Meanwhile, Gerald Estate Police Station Commander, Edward Leposo told The Monitor that James was recently given bail in connection with a robbery that he allegedly committed with Molosiwa.