Deluxe Cabs driver murder trial ensues

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Barely three years after the mysterious murder of Deluxe Cabs driver, Vincent Mopipi, the trial commenced yesterday before Chief Justice Maruping Dibotelo. But before calling the first state witness, a call centre officer at the Deluxe Cabs, prosecutor Sally Boitumelo revealed that there were no eyewitnesses to Mopipi’s murder.

“At around 10pm Deluxe received a request for transporting services. A driver was sent to pick the clients, a few minutes later he was found dead with multiple stab wounds. The prosecution believes he was murdered,” Boitumelo said.  She added: “There was no eye witnesses, so the prosecution will solely rely on circumstantial evidence”. Matshidiso Boikanyo and Moabi Mabiletsa are both charged with the gruesome murder of a cab driver in Block 9 on September 13, 2013.

Oarabile Koketso (36), who was a call centre officer on duty at the time, said that on that fateful day, he received a call from a client at around 2100 hours. Koketso said the client who had a male voic, requested to be taken to University of Botswana (UB) from Eros Shopping Complex in Tlokweng. “The client then gave me a number where we could reach them, once the cab had arrived,” Koketso said. He said he located transport for the customers through their radio receiver. He told the courtroom half full with Deluxe Cabs workers, that another driver then tried to contact the number he had been given but the number was offline. “One of the drivers Mr Mudo, was the one who was nearer to the customers, I gave him the cell number to contact the customers and take them to their destination. Mudo later communicated that he had tried to call the number but it was switched off,” Koketso said. “The same number then rang again, but this time, they had changed the pick-up point  to Puma Filling Station. They apologised and said that they had erred in the number they had initially given me.

Editor's Comment
Justice delayed is trust denied

Batswana who marched peacefully for 'Justice for Tshepi' demanded answers. They have now received a detailed account of police investigation and a promise that the file is with the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The real test is whether the state now keeps its word without further prodding. In his address, the minister asked the nation to trust the process. He spoke of rigour, not neglect, and pointed to 10 months of...

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