Zimbabwean nationals denied bail

Lindiwe Mozola | Wednesday April 5, 2017 16:21

 

Morwaeng said the accused has been staying in the country illegally and if granted bail, he might be deported anytime hence escape the offence he is charged with.

The accused, Witness, from Harare is alleged to have acted in concert with three other accused persons, Tony Ncube (29), Mogorosi Makabu (36) and Kesogofetse Ratau (26) on January 11 in breaking into the dwelling house belonging to one Chimbi Mosweu in Extention 4, Palapye and stole goods worth P12,000.

The goods included black HP laptop valued at P4,000, Samsung J7 smart phone worth P3,800, Samsung Duo cellphone valued at P3,900, a purse containing P100 cash, carmouflage Jumpsuit valued at P250 and a memory stick and modulator both worth P200.

Appearing for the state, Sergeant Ditsapelo Emmanuel said that Witness and the first accused Ncube, also from Zimbabwe, should not be given bail as they do not have permanent places of abode and are a flight risk.

When pleading for bail, Witness outlined that he was not in the country when the offence happened, arguing that the stamp in his passport shows that he entered the country on January 18.

“I was not in the country on the said date of the offence and my passport shows that I entered the country on the 18th making it impossible for me to have committed the offence.

I put it to this Court that I was never involved in this offence and therefore plead for bail since I have a valid passport and could never escape the country,” he said. 

He however, pleaded guilty of entering the country through an ungazetted entry point contradicting his confession that he used the passport to enter the country.

Magistrate advised him to plead not guilty to entering the country illegally, for which he must show evidence.

“In this case you will then reveal your passport, by pleading guilty you contradict the argument you just raised to the Court that you were not in the country on the said date of the offence,” he said.

Both the accused represent themselves and they will appear on April 28 for case management conference. Other accused persons did not show interest in applying for bail.