Bail ruling for Trojan case today

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Friday September 9, 2011 00:00

 

The State moved an application for further remand of the suspects on Monday stating that police investigations are still ongoing.

Prosecutor Mokuedi Mphathi submitted that police investigations are not yet complete as they are on the trail of two other suspects connected to the robbery.

He told court that police are following positive leads, which might lead to recovery of some of the money from the suspects before court. He further submitted that one of the suspects at large has been arrested in South Africa and they are awaiting his extradition to Botswana.

Mphathi also told court that Motlhatlhobi Bagopi, Onkabetse Malope, Brutus Mokgalo and Gerald Zikhale have pending cases before courts of law in Botswana. He applied that the suspects be remanded in custody for a further 14 days.  Mphathi said Mokgalo has been on the police wanted list for the past 10 years after he escaped from lawful custody in 2001. 'Warrant of his arrest was issued on June 20, 2001,' Mphathi said.

He further told court that Malope was granted bail by the Village Magistrate on a similar case of robbery, while Zikhale has a pending case of theft of a motor vehicle, which involved two other motor vehicles. He said that Zikhale is due to appear at the Village Magistrate Court again next week.

Mphathi submitted that despite the fact that Meshack Kangangwane (Trojan employee) has no pending case, his application was that they all be remanded in custody. However, defense attorney Busang Manewe opposed remand application by the State. Manewe argued that the application was not supported by evidence. He further argued that the law states in any bail application that they ought to be admissible evidence before court.

He submitted that what the prosecutor was saying is not supported by any evidence to enable the court to reach a fair conclusion. Manewe told court that the state prosecutor had gone out of his way to paint his clients with black paint so that they look bad before the eyes of the magistrate.

He submitted that as far as he is concerned, the suspects should be released on bail. After lengthy deliberations, Magistrate Ompatile Setlhabi adjourned the case to today for ruling.

The robbery occurred on August 19 at around 3am near Ditlhakane River in Kumakwane when two security guards employed by Trojan Security Company were driving to Gantsi when they were attacked by seven men armed with pistols and other weapons.