Alleged Cousin Killer 'Confessed' To Traditional Healers
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday May 14, 2018 14:16
Seven days later, he was arrested once again and taken into custody. According to prosecutor ??? Charlie, Tsametse was reported to the Police by two different traditional healers who he allegedly approached seeking to be protected from facing the wrath of the law for killing his cousin. Charlie said Tsametse confessed to the healers that he had indeed killed Ofentse and wanted them to keep him from being prosecuted for it.
Tsametse appeared before Gaborone High Court Justice Omphemetse Motumise seeking bail on an urgent basis after Broadhurst Magistrate, where the case is being presided over, denied him bail. His attorney Nkosana Ngwenya said his client should be given bail as he is yet to be proven guilty and that he was the sole breadwinner to six beneficiaries who are now languishing in poverty.
“The applicant is innocent. He has also proved that he is not a flight-risk as he did not flee after being arrested and let out the first time. He has also undertaken that he would abide by all bail conditions if granted,” he said.
Ngwenya said it would be unfair for the court to take into consideration the alleged confessions as his client has not pleaded guilty in court nor has he confirmed that he indeed confessed. “This point does not stand as it is not a reason to deny him bail. The prosecution is attempting to state that they have a strong case and not stating why they are opposing the bail application,” he said.
Charlie argued that Tsametse could not be granted bail as there is damning evidence against him in the confessions he made to the traditional healers. She said Tsametse could flee and angry family members who are baying for blood. To this, Ngwenya said they were not worried that anyone could harm his client, as the law would take its cause.
Motumise set May 29, 2018 as the day he will deliver judgment for the bail application. Meanwhile after the court proceedings, Ofentse’s brother Marks Ofentse popularly known as Kganka in the music industry broke into tears and threatened to beat up some family members.
Speaking through tears, Kganka accused the family members of sympathising with Tsametse’s mother, Agnes Ofentse who was staying with Arnold.
The Form 2 Ledumadumane Junior Secondary School student was brutally knifed to death. His throat cut and was left for dead under a huge Morula tree not far from Mogoditshane Senior Secondary School on the night of March 3.
Agnes had previously told this publication that her children told her Arnold had gone to charge his phone at his neighbour’s house, but never returned home until he was found dead the following morning.