The Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) special agent Oteng Keraamang (39) and five other co-accused persons in the police shootout case have been granted bail by the Extension II Magistrate Court except for two foreign nationals.
The DIS agent is charged amongst other six persons for the police shootout incident that took place at the Gaborone Secondary Scvhopol (GSS) grounds fortnight. Six other accused persons are Phenyo Godisang (39), Tshepo Seakanyeng (38), Lebogang David (39), Artwell Mpofu (41), Isaac Sinemba (35) and lastly Thabo Molebe (25) who was on the run.
Chief Magistrate Kamogelo Mmesi yesterday granted accused persons bail citing that prosecutions failed to advance sufficient reasons why the court should further incarcerate them.
The State had made a plea to further remand accused persons in custody by further 14 days to give them ample time to complete their investigations that are left behind fearing that if they are granted bail they might interfere with them.
“When these accused persons were first arraigned, the investigating officer (Oarabile Japi) asked for only seven days ,however, the court ordered that it should rather be 14 days and today you are bringing accusations not before court,” she said.
Magistrate further said if their accusations were anything to go by, and fear that they might add more charges to the initial charge sheet, they should have amended it.
“What they only said is that they fear they might interfere with investigations but they did not bring any facts and what also worries me that since incarceration these people were never questioned and it confuses me how has the IO carried the investigations,” she said.
Magistrate noted that prosecutions failed to live up to the initial court order that gave them 14 days to complete their investigations hence she granted the accused bail.
“All Batswana accused persons will be granted bail except for the foreign nationals as they have overstayed their stay in Botswana, so accused number five (Mpofu) and six (Sinemba) will be further remanded in custody,” she ordered.
Accused persons are charged with three counts, one of which is giving false information to a person employed in public service particularly the DIS spy and Godisang. The DIS agent Keraamang, an accused alongside Godisang, is alleged to have, on August 4 at the Central Police Station, acted together and gave false information to police officers, causing them to act on their lawful powers, knowing very well that the information was false.
On the second count, all six accused persons are charged with unlawful possession of an illicit substance suspected to be dagga at the GSS grounds where the shooting took place.
On the last count, accused Seakanyeng, David, Mpofu, and Sinemba are charged with assaulting police officers in the execution of their duties. The quartet are alleged to have assaulted officers at the GSS grounds with a 55cm brown sable knife, pepper spray, and a small axe. The case continues on 3rd September,2025.
