Soldier convicted of using relative�s passport
Tumelo Mouwane | Tuesday July 25, 2017 16:05
The Sir Seretse Khama Barracks-based soldier yesterday agreed to the facts of the offence before Magistrate Thekololo Letsholo after he pleaded guilty a fortnight ago. Mogomotsi was arrested for using a relative’s passport to exit and enter Botswana on May 4, 2017.
The convict presented a relative’s passport in the names of Gotlaitse Mogomotsi at Ramatlabama border post in a bid to enter the country from South Africa whilst he knew it did not belong to him. He was arrested on the same day at Ramatlabama border post on his return trip in transit to Gaborone and was subsequently detained at Ramatlabama police station on the same day.
The convict agreed that on the said date, he produced his cousin’s passport and upon an immigration officer’s inspection, the photo on the passport did not match his facial identity. The passport number on the immigration department system also reflected the passport to be belonging to Gotlaitse. It has also emerged that the system at the border further revealed that the convict was also a wanted person on a police list, hence the immigration officials handed him to the police.
The state prosecutor in the case, Sub Inspector Dumani Chakasala of Ramatlabama police station said they have not yet managed to secure a track record of the accused person’s previous offences, hence pleaded with court to set a further date. “This is to enable us to undertake such so that the court will be advised when sentencing the convict,” Chakasala said.
The matter is set for August 1 for presentation of mitigation and extenuating circumstances. Sentence is expected to be passed on the same day. The convict is on bail pending his fate. In another matter, trial has been set for October 19-20 in a case in which three Molapowabojang village middle-aged men face charges of dagga possession.
The state alleged that the trio, George Kakoma (56), Kgomotso Batshotswe (40) and Nde Magetlenyane (32) on April 16 last year were found in posession of at least 49.2 kilograms of dagga during a police raid in Peleng ward in Lobatse.
In a brief mention yesterday, one of the accused, Kokoma however said he was disappointed that trial did not proceed yesterday as it had been initially set. “We came here prepared for trial and we expected it to commence. We want this matter to be dealt with once and for all,” he pleaded.
Prosecutor, Sergeant Mbaakanyi Nfandiso of Lobatse police station said the state will be ready to proceed with trial on the set date. The trio have pleaded not guilty to the charge and they are all on bail.