Man Charged For Harbouring Fugitive Remanded
Dolly Bathobakae | Monday February 6, 2017 17:20
Police are of the view that Newtown James was attempting to pervert the course of justice by hiding 27-year-old Gaomodimo Molosiwa at his place.
Molosiwa, who has already been sentenced to 38 years imprisonment for three separate robbery cases, was later arrested by the police after a tip-off on January 18, 2017 at James’s place.
He is facing other robbery cases that are pending before different Francistown magistrates. He also attracted media headlines last year after he allegedly assaulted Mompoloki Gaboiphiwe, a prosecutor from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
His case with Gaboiphiwe is also pending before court.
When James appeared in court on Friday, after he was initially denied bail in order to give the state ample time to investigate the matter further, inspector Kelebonye Matsapa reiterated that investigations in the matter were still continuing.
“The investigating officer is on emergency leave and he will be back on duty on February 9. We further apply that the accused should be further remanded in custody until the investigating officer comes back and appraise the court about his investigations,” Matsapa said.
The state application was met with fury from James. He prayed with the court to release him on bail because his wife in Zimbabwe has taken ill.
“My goods were repossessed by some people I owe ever since I was incarcerated. I know nothing about this offence. The prison authorities are in a better position to know what happened because they allowed the inmates to escape,” Matsapa said.
At the end of the brief mention, Chief Magistrate Gaedupe Makgatho ruled in favour of the state and remanded the accused.