Herdboy, Friend Appear For Employer�s Death
Lebogang Mosikare | Monday February 12, 2018 11:52
The State alleges that the herdboy, Ramokgosi Ramokgosi, 27, and Thuso Diane, 25, murdered Sidiretse Marape, 67, at Tonota village between February 3 and 5, 2018. According to a reliable source, the duo allegedly murdered Marape over a pay dispute.
When the duo was arraigned before court, Inspector Kenneth Edward applied for the accused to be remanded in custody because investigations into the matter were still at their initial stages.
Kenneth then applied for the investigating officer in the matter Sengwenyane Keleitse to take the stand and give reasons why the prosecution was opposed to bail.
Keleitse told Magistrate Amantle Lungisani that relatives of the deceased and members of the public are still enraged by the alleged murder and as such may harm the accused if they were released on bail.
“The deceased was found naked which further angered the deceased’s relatives and members of the public. We have sent some exhibits in the matter to the police forensic laboratory for analysis.
We anticipate to add more charges to the current one after we get results of the forensic analysis,” said Keleitse. Keleitse further stated that the police have been on the lookout for Ramokgosi in connection to a rape case that he allegedly committed in 2015 at Mabesekwa.
“Ramokgosi has been on the run since he allegedly committed the rape at Mabesekwa. Furthermore, we apply for the accused to be remanded in custody because we recently arrested them (on February 5 and 6).
We fear that if they are granted bail, them may interfere with our investigations and abscond from attending court sessions,” the investigating officer said.
The accused then failed in their bid to discredit what Keleitse told the court in order to be considered for bail.
A source close to the matter told The Monitor that they suspect that the deceased was raped before or after she was strangled to death because she was found naked with her thighs open.
The source added that they suspect that the accused killed the deceased because she did not pay Ramokgosi his whole salary. Ramokgosi and Diane, the source alleged, murdered Marape at her home following an alcohol drinking binge.
The duo allegedly went to the deceased’s place at night to enquire why she did not pay Ramokgosi his whole salary.
They allegedly entered the house through a window that was open.
Ramokgosi did not show any sign of remorse after his arraigned in court. H
e gestured a peace signal to photojournalists who were taking his pictures outside the courtroom. Magistrate Lungisani remanded the accused in jail until February 23, 2018 for another mention.