Court convicts five in Gaborone North murder, robbery

Mpho Mokwape | Wednesday April 18, 2018 15:45

 

Today Chief Justice Maruping Dibotelo convicted all the accused of attacking and robbing a Chinese national in Gaborone North and in the process murdering his security guard, Olebogile Ramapulane.

The convicted men Lebang Ntesi, Phemelo Tshelang, Gorata Sebego, Patrick Gaile and Mpho Mangwa have been on a long trial following the robbery and murder. 

According to the particulars of the offence, the five men who are all residents of Oodi in Kgatleng District, on the night of August 28, 2013 at Gaborone North Farms acted together and murdered the night the watchman who was guarding the Chinese Tuwana Construction Site camp.

They were also initially charged for the attempted murder of the Chinese man, Liu Jian Hui. He has, however, left the country after being treated and released from Princess Marina Referral Hospital’s intensive care unit thus letting the charge fall. 

All the accused persons will have to thank their lucky stars for being convicted of murder with extenuating circumstances meaning the death penalty falls away. 

When delivering his ruling the Chief Jusitice said all evidence presented by the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons actively participated in the robbery and murder of the watchman.

“I reject on the version led by the accused as the prosecution has proven their case and that the accused were the culprits in the robbery and inflicting injuries on the deceased man. The only noticeable fact is that the murder was not premeditated, the accused went out to rob copper from the site but in the process violence was used,” he said. 

Meanwhile, at the time of going to press, the defence was on the floor submitting mitigation for the five men and the CJ is expected to deliver sentencing tomorrow.