Defence counsel takes magistrate to task
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Defence attorney Eddie Babuseng - who represents accused Patrick Gaile, one of the accused in the murder of security officer, Olebogeng Ramapulane, and assault of Chinese national, Liu Jian Hui on August 28, 2013 - gave magistrate Basetsana Keikantse an unpleasant stay in the witness box.
He argued that the accused was influenced by his emotions of fear to make a confession statement because the police had recently beaten and tortured him.
That a single private law firm pocketed P6.5 million for just four cases, out of a total P11.1 million paid for 25 matters, reeks of a system that was not merely disorganised but open to abuse.Bayford has taken a welcome first step by telling the Public Accounts Committee the truth. Now he must act decisively to ensure it never happens again and that any money lost to wrongdoing is recovered.The figures are staggering. Whilst ordinary Batswana...