'Armed robbers' attack Mmegi photographer

VICTOR MUYAKWABO
Staff Writer | Tuesday August 27, 2013 00:00

 

There was drama at the Broadhurst Magistrate Court when three of the five accused armed robbers attacked Mmegi cameraman Kagiso Onkatswitse and threatened to kill him.Magistrate Taboka slave denied Sikhumbozo Mpofu, 47, Lytton Dlamini, 41, Milton Shoko, 41, Denis Moyo, 35, and Thuso Maziba, 23, bail and remanded them for another 14 days as the state attempts to prove that they should not be granted bail.

The altercation took place before and after the court session in full view of policemen and prison warders.On arrival at court Mpofu started uttering threats and was joined by his mates who rushed the photographer. One of them struck Onkatswitse's camera.After the court session as the five trooped out to get into the police van one jumped out to attack Onkatswitse and in the process snatched a prison warder's baton and attempted to hit him with it, before police officers restrained him.It is then that Mpofu said: 'I am going to get a gun and kill you.' Refusing them bail Slave told the prosecution that she was giving them the last chance to provide the court with all that it needed before the bail ruling on September 9. 'Mr (Phale) Kgamanyane, make sure this time you sort out the issue of travelling documents for the four accused persons,' said Slave. She then ordered that the five be remanded in custody until the next appearance when the prosecution would bring witnesses to argue against their bail.

Kgamanyane had submitted that four were Zimbabweans who did not have documents allowing them to be in Botswana. He told the court that Maziba was a local who had other pending cases against him.He said Maziba ignored that he was facing other cases and committed other criminal offences.Kgamanyane said they were awaiting the forensic report, and that soon they would forward the docket to the Directorate of Public Prosecution.'I have not received any documents relating to the travelling documents or passports of the four accused persons, as my colleagues informed me that they did not have valid documents,' said Kgamanyane.He dismissed claims by the defence lawyer, Madisa Kebonyemodisa that Mpofu surrendered his travelling documents to one Sub Inspector Tsiyane when he was arrested. He said the only time Tsiyane came into contact with Mpofu was in 2011 when he was investigating him in a case of threat to kill, which was withdrawn as Mpofu was on the run.

'At the next mention I will bring the investigating officer and Tsiyane,' said Kgamanyane.Kebonyemodisa argued that the prosecution should not use the point of other cases to deny Maziba bail, as he was a Motswana who had a constitutional right to bail, as he was presumed innocent until proven guilty.'All the cases that the prosecution are talking about are known to me and I represent him in those cases,' said Kebonyemodisa.He maintained that the police were not being honest about the documents of the other four as they provided them when they were arrested.The five were arrested after a series of armed robberies and are appearing for unlawful possession of arms of war.