Decision on Legae�s extradition still pending
Pini Bothoko | Tuesday August 29, 2017 17:12
Legae escaped from Botswana after committing a series of armed robberies and rape. Asked about the delays in Legae’s extradition, the Botswana Police Service (BPS) public relations officer, assistant commissioner Witness Bosija said extradition processes take a long period of time. He said despite the delays, Legae will be extradited.
“Together with South African Police (SAP), we are currently processing the extradition documents. The process is expected to be finalised soon and the fugitive will be extradited to Botswana,” Bosija said. Bosija said the SAP is currently conducting the judicial processes.
“Before he could be extradited, Legae should appear before court. That is when the SAP will be ready to release him. The two countries should follow all the legal processes surrounding his extradition hence the delay,” he said.
Bosija added: “After his arrest, we wrote a letter to the South African Police stating our reasons why he should be extradited and we are hopeful that he will be extradited once the processes are complete.
They are yet to determine whether the preconditions for extradition have been met”. Asked if Legae could have committed any offence whilst in South Africa, Bosija said that they have not received such reports.
Legae, 23 of Kanye, together with his co-accused Mogomotsi Thupane, 34 of Moshupa were linked to a string of armed robberies that occurred in Gaborone and the Southern district in May.
In June, Thupane was arrested in Gaborone and a sum of P38,000 and a vehicle suspected to have been used by the suspects were recovered from him.
Mid-June the police arrested six armed robbers suspected to have been Legae’s accomplices. On their arrest, three firearms and large quantity of drugs suspecting to be dagga were recovered.
It was revealed that the gunmen walked away with close to P135,000 taken from Choppies in Tsolamosese. A week before, armed robbers struck Choppies Superstore in Block 8 in Gaborone also at gunpoint and walked away with P112,000 and R13,000.
The police suspected that they were the ones who have been smuggling drugs into the country.