Seretse yet to identify hijackers

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Wednesday June 22, 2011 00:00

 

The court hearing the case was told on Monday that an identification parade has not been conducted, raising the possibility that Seretse, now Botswana's ambassador to the US might be called for the exercise before the trial commences.

Robert Ngwenya and Christopher Mpofu appeared before a Rustenburg magistrate on Monday for allegedly hijacking the envoy. Their attorney  applied for an order barring the media from taking pictures of his clients before the identification parade is held.

The magistrate acceded to the request stating that it would be in the best interests of justice that pictures of the accused should not be splashed in the newspapers before they are identified.

'The whole process of an identification parade would be nullified if it is allowed that their pictures could be taken and used in the media,' the magistrate stated.  Seretse was allegedly hijacked in September 2009 on the N4 highway between Rustenburg and Swartruggens by two men, aged 24 and 31, calling themselves Nelson Mandela and Robert Mugabe.

It is said the accused were driving vehicles with blue lights and wearing camouflage uniforms.   They face charges of armed robbery, kidnapping and theft of motor vehicle among others. It is alleged they held Seretse at gunpoint and robbed her of a motor vehicle and other valuables. Police arrested the suspects near Lenasia South in Gauteng last week.