Edson Maphorisa (28), is charged with escaping from lawful custody after he allegedly escaped from Kutlwano police holding cells. Appearing for mention last week, Maphorisa, a Zimbabwean national told court that he wanted Madandume to recuse herself from presiding over the matter because she was a complainant in one of his other cases. He was referring to the matter in which he appeared in court for assaulting Madandume with a glass of water on January 6. He said he had applied to the high court for the magistrate to recuse herself but has failed to submit his application because the police and prison wardens will not let him.
He added that the police have assaulted him stating that they were ordered by the magistrate to do so. "The last time I was in court, the police assaulted me and said that you told them to assault me, I was injured and I have not received any help also because they say you told them not to help me," he said. Madandume told the prosecutor to make sure that the accused person is assisted and taken to hospital. Maphorisa has appeared before the Francistown magistrate court for a number of cases, in cluding the alleged escape from police custody in December by making a hole in a wall of his cell.
