Four men have been remanded in custody after appearing before the Village Magistrate Court on a single count of murder arising from an alleged stolen mobile phone incident.
The accused are 40-year-old Ranaka Primary School teacher Thatayaone Motlhanka, 35-year-old Thebephatshwa Air Base soldier Kabelo Mokokota, 36-year-old Ngwaketse Land Board computer technician Bakang Ranthoakgale, and 40-year-old self-employed Aobakwe Mokokota.
According to the charge sheet, the quartet is alleged to have murdered Henry Gurupira on January 6, 2026, at the Gaborone Bus Rank in the Gaborone Administrative District.
Appearing before the court this morning, the State informed the magistrate that investigations were still at an early stage and that statements from the accused persons and witnesses were yet to be finalised. The prosecution applied for the accused to be remanded in custody, an application which was granted.
The State further indicated that the incident arose after the accused allegedly tracked a stolen mobile phone to the bus rank, where they found it in Gurupira’s possession. The four are said to have assaulted the deceased after accusing him of stealing the phone.
Gurupira later died in the hospital four days after the alleged assault. The matter returns to court this Friday for a status update.
