Police dismiss defence’s theory that the murdered man was eaten alive by wild animals
A suspected serial killer’s hopes of avoiding the hangman’s noose suffered a body blow on Friday, when the Investigating Officer (IO) told Francistown High Court the accused knew exactly what he was doing.
In a further hit to Banoziba Dambe’s defence, the IO rubbished any suggestion the deceased was actually eaten alive by wild animals.
49-year-old Dambe is on trial for the brutal murder of Gaone Matebele, who was beaten to death with a spade near Pandamatenga Farms at around 11pm on the night of 4 April 2018.
The accused and one Kenosi Rathami, who has since turned state witness against Dambe, are said to have got Matebele steaming drunk before driving out of Kazungula.
Roughly 110km later, they pulled up by the roadside.
“From what I gathered, the accused and Rathami strangled the deceased with a rope. When he fainted, they took him out the car, and the accused beat him on the head with a spade. They left him motionless in the bush, 30m from the road,” the IO, Detective Inspector, Master Seleka told court.
The dead man’s remains were discovered a week later, by which time his head and legs were nowhere to be found.
Dambe’s defence team argued it was possible Matebele was still alive when the accused fled the scene and had actually been devoured by animals.
“Could whatever took away the skull and legs be the one that killed the deceased?” queried Defence Counsel, Wetshootsile Tshimologo during cross-examination.
“No, the deceased was killed by the accused and Rathami,” responded Seleka, without missing a beat.
The top cop dealt a further blow to the defence, dismissing their argument that Dambe only meant to rough Matebele up.
“Is it not possible the intention was to make him afraid, to threaten and scare him not to give evidence against Dambe?” asked Tshimolologo, adding the fact the duo panicked and ran away when Matebele fell shows they had not planned to kill him.
“That is not true at all; they had intentions of killing him!” maintained the police boss.
All the while, displaying barely a flicker of emotion, his features hidden behind a facemask, Dambe sat in the dock listening intently, his arms folded together.
The trial continues on 11 October, when the state call their final two witnesses.
However, Dambe will return to High Court a little earlier, appearing on 20 August for another murder case, involving his wife, Tiny Dambe, and nephew, Lesedi Khundu.
The trio, along with Matebele, are said to have set fire to Dambe’s ex-girlfriend’s house, Concillah Ncube, in Flowertown, Kazangula, on 7 May 2017.
Ncube died of her wounds five days later, while her three children mercifully escaped with their lives. It is suspected the accused was fed-up paying P900 a month maintenance for his three kids and so hatched the plot to get rid of them.
Matebele was rumoured to have turned state witness against Dambe, which the state believe was his motive for the murder.
