A man believed to have murdered a granny and her grandchild last Novemmber at Molepolole’s Magokotswane ward has been denied bail by a Molepolole Magistrates’ Court.
Chief Magistrate Gaseitsewe Tonoki said during bail ruling this week that 34-year-old Tshepiso Letsididi is so far facing six charges, three counts of murder, two counts of rape and one count of robbery.
Though the court did not go in detail, it was revealed that Letsididi has the third murder and rape case both pending to be tried in November 2023 before the Lobatse High Court.
Another rape case was also recently registered before Molepolole Magistrates’ Court last month, the incident is said to have occurred last year just before he committed the murder crimes in Magokotswane.
Accused in application for bail stated that he is still a suspect and not yet convicted which he should be granted bail.
However, the magistrate stated that there is tangible fear that if accused is released on bail he may again be a main actor in another similar offence.
“The murder case carries maximum death penalty that is indeed a severe punishment that may reduce a person to abscond and not to face trial. This in itself is a substantial ground that accused may not appear for his trial if granted bail. Accused has absconded in his matter at the High Court and there is an order for his arrest because he has failed to turn up for his cases,” said the magistrate further stating that it brings fear that if granted bail he will never stand trial, therefore he is not a candidate for bail.
Meanwhile, Letsididi was arrested a month later after the murder and robbery incidents for Molepolole after trending on the police Facebook page as a wanted person.
On Sunday November 11th, 2022, Gobona Penekane Mhaladi aged 54 and her 10-year-old grandchild Laofa Kate Mmamorepo were found tied up a rope bound tightly around their necks.
They were discovered by the little girl’s mother, Mimmy Mmamorepo, 33, who had popped round to check on the duo at the old woman’s home in Magokotswane ward after failing to reach them on the phone for two days.
Letsididi is also facing a charge of robbery which the same date he robbed Mhaladi’s Grey Toyota Camry, Huawei cellphone all valued P61, 500.
The vehicle was found the following day (November 12th, 2022) parked on the roadside at Kopong junction along the Molepolole-Gaborone road with Letsididdi’s belongings found inside. The locked up Mogogoru ward native will appear for mention on March 20th, 2023.
