Youth convicted of Korean’s murder in 2016 armed robbery
Kitso Makati was only 25 when, on 30 October 2016 in the dead of night, he gunned down two Korean nationals in an armed robbery, seemingly shooting the defenceless men without a second thought.
Blasted by a bullet to the neck, Koo Jachul died almost instantly, while his friend and colleague, Jan Moonhan was shot in the thigh but escaped with his life.
In the country as part of an international company that won a tender to refurbish Morupule A Power Station, the duo were attacked in the guesthouse in Palapye’s Extension Two location where they were staying.
Last Wednesday (22 April), almost ten years on from the bloody burglary, Francistown High Court found Makati guilty of murder.
On a day of contrasting emotions, the two men initially believed to have accompanied him that fateful night, Kagiso Gaadingwe, 34, and Tshiamelo Ntshese, 45, were declared ‘not-guilty’.
The young killer was arrested a week after the shooting, tipped-off cops tracking him down to a house in Gaborone, where he was found with a silver Calvin Klein watch worth P7, 000 belonging to one of the victims.
The P8, 500 cash stolen in the robbery was never recovered.
During their search of the premises, the Boys in Blue also uncovered a revolver used in the brutal break-in.
Along with three other men, Makati was linked to a second murder involving a foreign national in Gaborone that occurred days prior to the Palapye bloodshed.
Following a similar pattern, the robbers are said to have shot Indian businessman, Jinesh Naik, 25, outside his Block 6 home, before robbing his terrified family at gunpoint.
However, although the four suspects were arrested and charged with Naik’s murder, the matter was eventually dismissed by Gaborone High Court due to persistent delays from the prosecution.
Despite this reprieve, Makati has spent the last decade behind bars on remand, awaiting trial for Jachul’s murder.
Last week he received the one word he’s been dreading for years: ‘guilty’.
Now Makati must convince Court why he should not be hanged.
To add to his frustration, his two co-accused have no such worries.
The trio had been facing a further four counts, including causing grievous harm for the injuries inflicted to Moonhan. Since returning home for medical treatment, reportedly scared for his life, the Korean refused to come back to Botswana and took no part in the trial.
Other charges were: robbery, unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition.
Convicted of the first three crimes, Makati, who went by the nickname Skechekech during his days on the street, was declared not-guilty for the two possession counts.
Ntshese meanwhile was acquitted and set free, with court unconvinced by prosecution’s attempt to link him to the matters.
It was a mixed verdict for Gaadingwe, who was discharged from the heavier charges but convicted on unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. It was heard he was caught with a Musgrave 80 rifle and different types of ammunition.
Before passing judgment, Justice Bengbame Sechele referred to the statement made by a witness, Gabadirelwe Mokibelo, who was woken at around 0330hours by dogs barking wildly and a faint knocking at the gate.
“She said she recognised the voice to be of the Korean neighbours who then came in sat on the chair as he was bleeding. He said ‘ambulance’ and ‘three men’ as he had difficulty in communication,” noted Sechele.
Sent back to prison under heavy escort, Makati and Gaadingwe are due back in court on 8 May to give extenuating circumstances and mitigation. For Makati, it could be the difference between life and death!
