BDP wars finally in court
Lebogang Mosikare | Wednesday August 16, 2017 16:25
The case is pitting BDP activist, Otto Masogo against Chidzani Casper Mokgwebe (31), Boago Phiri, (25) and Otsile Moses (25). They are charged with assaulting Masogo at Donga Junior School on March 11.
The hostility between Masogo and police constable Mokgwebe, and his self-employed fellow accused, was allegedly instigated by differences over the handling of the Francistown regional elective congress.
Masogo is a well-known sympathiser of the Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi faction while the trio just like their political grandmaster Ignatius Moswaane, were on the side of the vanquished Nonofho Molefhi camp, which was whitewashed by the Masisi bloc in Tonota.
According to the charge sheet that was read to the accused, the trio allegedly assaulted Masogo with slaps of thir palms.
As if that was not enough, the charge sheet states that the accused also allegedly assaulted Masogo with chairs and desks.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and told the court that they will engage attorneys to represent them in the matter.
Prosecutor, Neo Machola from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) told the court that investigations into the matter are complete, adding that the state will call nine witnesses to testify against the accused.
“May the matter be called for status report on September 15 to appreciate if the accused have managed to secure attorneys or not.
We don’t have a problem with the court extending the bail of the accused,” said Machola. Magistrate Lebogang Kebeetsweng ordered the accused to appear in court on September 15 for status report.
Before the case reached the courts of laws, the trio made reconciliation overtures to Masogo to settle the matter out of court.
However, Masogo rebuffed them saying that the trio publicly humiliated him, adding that they also asked for forgiveness very late.
In a similar case last year, the chairperson of the Francistown South branch, Ford Moiteela was charged with allegedly assaulting Moswaane.
The state alleged that the fight was initiated by Moiteela, who allegedly assaulted the Francistown West MP, Moswaane by strangling him and pushing him against the wall on April 12, 2016 at Block 4.
The two BDP activists later settled the matter out of court following the intervention of Masisi who said that should the case go for trial, it will bring the name of the BDP into disrepute.