Siblings Allegedly Kill �Naughty� Father

Othusitse Khuwa | Monday April 24, 2017 15:25

 

The state alleges that Meshack James, 32, Kabelo James, 29, and Happy James, 27, who is a special constable at Matshelagabedi police murdered Thomas James, 70, on April 20 at Kulenyane ward at Matshelagabedi.

The Court heard that the siblings killed their father because of his alleged unbecoming behaviour.

Inspector James Moikwathai applied for the accused to be remanded in custody based on reasons that would be advanced by the investigating officer.

The investigating officer, detective assistant superintendent Lawrence Nthoiwa, told the Court that he proceeded to the crime scene after he was informed of the murder.

He said upon arrival at the scene, he was told that the deceased, who had already been taken to hospital, was certified dead before he was taken to hospital.

He also said when he arrived at Matshelagabedi, the police had already arrested Meshack and Kabelo, adding that he managed to question them in relation with the offence.

Nthoiwa added that Meshack told him that Kabelo and Happy went to his place and told him that their father had started his bad behaviour.

“…Meshack ended up telling me that he and Kabelo looked for the accused at his place of abode but they did not find him.

He further said that they then looked for the deceased all over Matshelagabedi and found him coming from the village tuck shop.

He also said that he hit the deceased on the head with an iron rod and the deceased walked for about two metres before he fell down,” Nthoiwa said.

Nthoiwa said he stopped questioning Meshack and Kabelo further because they were excessively drunk. 

“I am praying with the Court to remand the accused in custody so that I can continue with my investigations without any interference from the accused…Also family members of the deceased have been greatly angered by what happened and may harm the accused if they are released from custody now,” Nthoiwa said.

During their turn to ask Nthoiwa why he said they should be remanded in custody pending completion of investigations and for their safety, Meshack and Kabelo said they had no questions to ask him.

Meanwhile, Happy asked Nthoiwa who between herself and brothers said his father had started his bad behaviour.

In response Nthoiwa said she and Kabelo uttered those words.

She then asked Nthoiwa what role she played in the killing of his father, to which Nthoiwa replied: “The information I have is that you went around the village and managed to call Meshack, Kabelo and other family members to a meeting at your place”.

“At the said meeting, you allegedly told them to look for the deceased but I am not sure if the meeting ever took place because my investigations have just started,” Nthoiwa said.

However, Happy put it to Nthoiwa that she was with Meshack and Kabelo because he wanted them to look after his young sister who had fainted while she had to go to the tuckshop to buy airtime but they did not heed his pleas.

She said she wanted to buy the airtime to inform her aunt in Gaborone about her young sister, hence the presence of Meshack and Kabelo at her rented place.

Happy said from the tuckshop she went to her place to look after her sister.

“While at my place I heard my younger brother Jonathan knocking at the door. He told me that Meshack had killed our father…I then asked neighbours to accompany me to the crime scene, but I did not reach it and did not even see my father,” said a teary Happy.

She said moments later Meshack called her in her mobile phone and told her that “tiro yame ke e weditse” loosely translated “I have finished my job, plan or mission”.

“When I asked him if he was serious that he killed our father and why didn’t he solve the matter amicably or verbally, he said that he indeed killed my father and he did not care about what he did.

He further said he killed our father since he was useless since her never took care of us. In short I put it to the investigations officer that I don’t know anything about the murder of my father,” Happy said.

In reply, Nthoiwa reiterated that his investigations were still at their initial stages.

He added that he was reliably informed that Happy convened meetings at which meetings she persuaded his brothers to act in the manner they did.

“That is why his brother later called her after he killed his father to inform her that he had completed his mission.”

Magistrate Kaveri Kapeko remanded the accused in custody and told them to appear in Xourt on May 12 for status report on the investigations of the case, which Nthoiwa had earlier said he will complete in two weeks.