Majaga suspects political witch hunt
Othusitse Khuwa | Friday March 3, 2017 15:37
The state alleges that Majaga, Shadreck Mochabange, Tshokolo Mochabange, Semphete Malindi and Goletswang Mpule were found in possession of a carrion and hide of a cow reasonably suspected to be stolen on August 16 in 2006 at Komtsia cattlepost near Dukwi village. The case was dropped in 2014 but was reinstated this year.
When the accused appeared in court on Thursday, their lawyer Oratile Koone said it was false for the prosecution to say that the accused missed the last court mention in early February while they were duly served with documents instructing them to appear in court. On the other hand, Moffat Dick from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) produced documents, which he said showed that the accused were duly served with to appear in court but they chose to disregard the documents.
Majaga told the court he was not aware of any summons ordering him to appear in court because around the same time on the February 6, he was attending a parliamentary session in Gaborone. “For the past 10 years, I have been religiously coming to court for this case even when the case was before the High Court. It is not true that I was aware that I was supposed to appear in court,” said Majaga.
After haggling between the defence and state attorneys, Magistrate Kose Makobo set the matter for March 23 for arraignment of the accused and case management conference.
Last month the state applied for a warrant of arrest against Majaga, Malidi and Mpule but Makobo decided against issuing it because she wanted sufficient evidence before she could issue the order. The state will call five witnesses to testify against the accused.
After his appearance in court, Majaga was overhead saying the motive behind laying the current charge against him was politically motivated because the matter always resurfaces when the time for election is near.