Wanted rape suspect finally appears in court

Pini Bothoko | Wednesday November 15, 2017 19:17

 

State prosecutor, Oamogetswe Gaboutwelwe told the court that the accused , Future Moloi who was residing at Ledumang  in Gaborone and working as a conductor for a Mogoditshane Route 10 combi, has been arrested and charged with three counts of rape.

“The accused person has been on the run since April this year after committing two rape offences.

The police have been looking for him since then to no avail, but luckily he was recently arrested at Masunga village,” Gaboutwelwe said.

The offences were allegedly committed on different dates but at the same location of Ledumang..

The first rape was allegedly committed on March 25, 2014, the second on March 12, 2017 and the third on April 16, 2017 at still at Ledumang.

After the charge was read to him, Moloi told court that he will seek legal representation.

He was appearing before Broadhurst Magistrate Gaseitsewe Tonoki. Gaboutwelwe pleaded with the court not to grant Moloi bail because he has been evading the police arrest since April.

She requested for another mention date to be set at which the accused person should avail his legal representative.

 “We have not completed gathering evidence against the accused. We are yet to take his sperms for DNA tests, hence pleading with court to grant the state time to take him to carry out those tests,” Gaboutwelwe said.

She said on the next mention date she will make sure that the investigating officer on the case appears to inform the court why he (Moloi) should not be granted bail.

“Ever since he committed the offence he fled and it has been hard for the police to locate him hence pleading with court not to grant bail until his trial date.

I am pleading with court also to take note that the accused is facing serious offences of rape,” Gaboutwelwe said. Asked if he has anything to say, Moloi told the court that the offence that he was alleged to have committed in 2014 in which he was charged with indecent assault against one Moalafi was withdrawn back then by the Broadhurst principal magistrate Munashe Ndlovu

“I am shocked to learn that Moalafi’s matter that was withdrawn has been dragged into the current case,” Moloi said.

He said that he was not even charged with rape then, but was only facing an offence of indecent assault that was later withdrawn.

“I am only aware of Matsape’s case but I am not aware of Thobega’s case.

I did not flee to Masunga as the prosecution claims. I only visited Masunga and I was shocked to be recently arrested and locked up in custody,” Moloi said.

Moloi pleaded with the court to grant him bail so that he can go and seek legal representation.

Magistrate Tonoki however advised him that prosecution has the right to look into other offences that he once committed and relate them to the current matters.

“The offence you have committed back in 2014 is comparable to the ones you are currently facing, and as such the prosecution has the right to reopen that case again looking at your current offences,” Tonoki said.

He remanded Moloi in custody and ordered him to avail himself for the DNA tests that have been requested by the prosecution.  Moloi is due in court on November 23.