Police officers were caught napping this morning as court proceedings came to a stand still in Lobatse after an assault suspect escaped from lawful custody.
The accused, Kutlo Mothusi, escaped from the Lobatse Magistrates court this morning where he was scheduled to be arraigned for brutally assaulting his girlfriend early this week.
Presiding over the matter, unamused Senior Magistrate Gofaone Morwaeng issued a warrant of arrest for the 33-year-old suspect.
The court heard that Mothusi, who is the son of prominent lawyer, Lydon Mothusi, escaped from court when the police officer briefly left him to answer a phone call.
“This matter is scheduled for arraignment but unfortunately the accused person escaped. He was brought before court this morning but escaped from lawful custody,” the state lawyer told the shocked court.
” We don’t know how he escaped. The officer who escorted him had gone out to answer a phone call,” the prosecutor explained when asked how the suspect escaped.
The prosecution did not have any answers when the Magistrate demanded to know why the accused was not held in court cells. “I don’t know why he was not placed in the cells,” was all the state attorney could say in response.
A warrant of arrest has been issued and the matter is scheduled for March 19th .
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sharonm@thevoicebw.com
