Death row inmates appeal today

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Wednesday July 7, 2010 00:00

Michael Molefe, Kgotso Brandon Samson and Benson Keganne will have to convince a panel of eight judges to spare their lives. The three have representation in attorneys; Ookeditse Maphakwane for Molefe, Duma Boko for Samson and Joao Salbany for Keganne.

Michael Molefe, 47, a South African national and Brandon Kgotso Sampson, 38, were found guilty of murdering two Zimbabwean nationals, Robert Ncube and Sam Hombarume, on December 24, 2000.

Justice Maruping Dibotelo ruled that the murder was planned as the two men had worn balaclavas and were armed when they went looking for the Zimbabweans. He accepted Molefe's version that the two men had killed his aunt and robbed her of R113, 000 in Soweto in 1995.

In the last court of appeal session, Keganne's case was postponed after his lawyer Salbany, told the court that the presidential undertaking was missing from the court record that they were served with. Salbany is expected to support his arguments for a much lesser sentence, based on the presidential undertaking.

Keganne and two others were extradited to Botswana to stand trial for the murder of a Phitshane woman, Gloria Mahowe.

South Africa released the trio after Botswana gave her word that they would not be executed.

Despite the undertaking, Keganne was found guilty and sentenced to death, while the two South Africans got lengthy prison sentences on the grounds that they were young when they committed the offence.

Keganne and his attorney intend using the presidential undertaking to overturn the High Court decision that sealed his fate with the hangman.