Club murder case ripe for trial

Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Tuesday February 14, 2017 16:25

 

In the new charge sheet read in court yesterday, the police have charged Keolopile Moshotle, Oabile Dibobo, Tshepo Ntusa and Tshiamo Morolong with robbery and the murder of Jacob Bogatsu.

The particulars of the charge are that the accused on or about October 30, 2016 at or near Maruapula Caltex Filling Station stole a black Samsung Duos cellphone valued at P1,500 belonging to Bogatsu using violence and eventually murdering him.

In the same charge sheet, Batshani Montsho and Mphoyaone Sedio and two others absent in court face two counts of robbery. In count one, they are alleged to have acted together with common purpose and in concert armed with a knife, stole a black Samsung E222 cellphone valued at P440.

The two used actual violence against Botshelo Selabe to prevent resistance. In count two, the accused stole a black Nokia cellphone valued P200 and P90 cash using violence against Patrick Jautse. 

The police had initially charged Montsho, Nicholas Itshekeleng, Gobusamang Mothibi, Tshepo Mokalare, Moshotle, Ditiro Reboeleng, Dibobo, Ntusa and Morolong with murder and robbery.

However, Itshekeleng, Mothibi, Mokalare, Reboeleng were discharged and acquitted of all the charges. Selelo said Sedio is appearing in court for the first time as he was initially arrested for murder but was released by the police after investigations could not link him to the crime. He has since been arrested charged with robbery.

All accused are out on bail except Montsho and Dibobo. Dibobo pleaded with the court to reduce his cash bail, as he could not afford to pay.

“My Lord, I plead with the court to reduce my cash bail. I don’t have parents and I stay with my old grandmother. I am also unemployed so I cannot afford to pay this amount,” he pleaded.

Magistrate Ntombizodwa Ncube reduced the cash bail for Dibobo to P2,500 from P5,000. She also ordered the police to locate Montsho’s aunt so that she assists him get his property and birth certificate from his rented house in Maruapula.

Dibobo and Montsho will appear in court on February 28 while the other accused have been ordered to appear on March 10.