Murder Confessed Air Marshall Seeks Bail

Lebogang Mosikare | Monday May 14, 2018 13:57

 

Motlatsi Khoto, 44, unwittingly made the murder confession when he was first arraigned in court in January.

The former Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) aircraft marshall’s bail application was in relation to a charge of unlawfully wounding Unami Sibanda, his former girlfriend, at Borolong on March 3, 2017.

The court withdrew the charge with liberty to reinstate for want of prosecution, but the police later reinstated it after completing their investigations.

Magistrate Cele Lebakeng reserved the ruling on the bail application for May 17.

Khoto is already in custody for murdering Metlha Sibanda on January 17 at Marobela.

The police exhumed Metlha’s body at a river in Marobela on January 18 where Khoto had buried it after strangling the nine-year-old to death.

Earlier on, Magistrate Lebakeng denied Khoto bail saying that he was not a good candidate, adding that she feared for the life of Khoto’s former girlfriend should Khoto be released.

In February, Lebakeng ordered Khoto to undergo a psychiatric evaluation after Khoto told her that he was on medication for depression.

Lebakeng then refused to grant Khoto bail saying that Khoto was a danger to himself and his former girlfriend.

On Friday, Khoto cut a forlorn figure, as he appeared in court first for the assault charge and later the murder offence.

He did not plead guilty to the charge of unlawful wounding.

In the murder charge, the police said that investigations into the matter were ongoing.

The public gallery was deserted unlike in the past when people of the low-income location of Area W filled it to capacity.

Khoto rented a house in Area W while Unami’s parents’ place is in the same location.

The former lovebirds are also cousins.