Modenga hospitalised
Pini Bothoko | Friday July 14, 2017 15:19
Mmegi has learnt that he was taken to PMH, where he was hospitalised, after complaining to prison officials that he was diabetic and was not feeling well following the Monday court appearance. It is alleged that he claimed that the police arrested and took him to Gaborone without his medication. Yesterday Modenga was supposed to have appeared before Broadhurst Magistrate, Lilian Madabane for bail ruling but failed to do so since he was still hospitalised.
The prosecution in this matter therefore pleaded with the court for extension of his remand in prison until his recovery. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) councillor for Mosewapula ward was last week Saturday arrested at his party’s congress that was held in Tonota after many such attempts by the police were unsuccessful.
Since 2015 Modenga has been making headlines with similar offences something, which allegedly forced his party colleagues to demote him from deputy mayor position.
On Monday he was arraigned before Broadhurst Magistrate’s Court facing four counts of obtaining by false pretences. He is alleged to be facing three similar charges before Francistown magistrate court.
On Monday, magistrate Madabane disclosed that on March 23 and May 8 at Phakalane, Modenga twice defrauded one Talent Chepanda after pretending to be an employee of the Department of Road Transport and Safety (DRTS).
He allegedly obtained P1,400 from Chepanda claiming that his vehicle had defects and a further P1,400 pretending that his truck had defects.
On the third and fourth count, on May 18, 2017 still in Gaborone, Modenga allegedly obtained P1, 350 and P6,800 from Mmoniemang Motsamai. According to court papers he claimed to be an employee of the DRTS and was going to book a road test for Motsamai’s son knowing that it was not true.
In the other count, Modenga is accused of defrauding Motsamai of clothes worth P6,800 pretending that he was going to sell them on her behalf to his colleagues.
Giving evidence on this matter then, the investigating officer (IO) Detective Senior Superintendent Sergeant Marapo pleaded with the court not to give Modenga bail because he was not cooperative throughout the investigations.
He said being a public figure, he did not want to arrest and escort Modenga to a police station but instead, pleaded with him several times to avail himself before Broadhurst police station, but he failed to turn up after several promises but eventually arrested him at the congress after a tip off.