Heavy escort for car theft accused

VICTOR MUYAKWABO
Staff Writer | Tuesday July 23, 2013 00:00

The two, Rui Ronaldo Vunlarde and Abednigo Ncube, were appearing for mention at Gaborone Regional Magistrates Court where a date was set for their case management conference.  Vunlarde is currently remanded while Ncube is out on bail.  The first accused, Vunlarde, pleaded with the magistrate to order the prosecutor Modipe Nkwe to serve him with the summary of evidence. Vunlarde said their case had been set for a management conference on July 27 but the prosecution had not bothered to serve him with witness statements so that he may prepare himself. 'May the court order the prosecution to serve me with the witness statements and call for a mention date in a few days to check whether they have complied,' he said, adding that prosecution had been dragging with his case for the last six months. In response, the court ordered that the two appear again for mention on July 29 where they will make all their applications to the substantive magistrate.

During their last appearance at Village Magistrates Court, the prosecution told the court only one vehicle had been recovered and that the police were still searching for the other two vehicles.The prosecution has told the court that they believe that the two accused persons know where the stolen vehicles are and they will help them with that information. On Count One, Ncube and Vunlarde allegedly acted together with others who were not before court when they stole a white Nissan Hardbody pick-up 2.0LWB registered B185AHE and valued at P45,000 at Block 5 in Gaborone on June 28, 2012.

Count Two alleges that the two accused and others stole a Toyota Corolla registered B766ATK valued at P32,000 at Block 7 in Gaborone on August 29 2012. On Count Three, it is alleged that the two men and their accomplices stole a white Toyota Corolla registered B528AUZ valued at P35,000 near Mount Valley Bar in Gabane on September 2, 2012.