Magistrate Kaveri Kapeko has ordered Dutlwe Chief, Motshegetsi Puleng, to keep a distance of 100 meters away from his wife and not even call her on her phone, as part of his bail conditions.
The other conditions were that he pays cash amounting to P1000.00, avail a surety binding himself with same amount and also report to Dutlwe Police Post every fortnight Monday.
It is alleged that the chief on January 3rd, 2021, at Serame ward in Dutlwe, without lawful excuse, threatened to kill his wife, Keduetse Bonang- who he recently married last December 11th, by uttering the words “ ke tla go bolaya e bo ke ipolaya.( I will kill you then kill myself).
The prosecution pleaded with the court to remand him in custody on the basis that they were yet to forward the matter to DPP and were still awaiting a photo album.
They also feared that he might commit the offence that he threatened to commit or commit other offences.
The defence attorney, Sesupo Masaka, opposed the grounds brought by the prosecution insisting they were not worthy of denying accused person bail.
In considering the bail application, the court had to consider the nature of the offence, it’s seriousness, whether the accused person will stand trial and whether he will commit other offences while on bail.
“If the accused person commits further offences while on bail, you call the matter that the accused person was granted bail on and then you revoke bail giving the court reasons why revocation is necessary. If there is a case that the accused person was granted bail on and prosecution wishes to revoke bail, they should recall it but for this matter the accused person is clean. We do not know if he has propensity of committing offences while on bail because this is the only matter we know him of,” said Magistrate Kapeko, further explaining that when it comes to presumption of innocence it is the responsibility of the court to protect the accused persons from being denied their freedom.
“It is also expensive for the state to be carrying the accused person around. We waited for two hours just for the accused to be brought to court and the state comes and argue for remand so that they carry him back and bring him another day while the accused can come at his own costs,” he added.
Last year July the chief was remanded for two offences of unlawful wounding after he allegedly stabbed multiple times on the stomach, the woman he had earlier threatened to kill.
He was also facing another charge of grievous harm for kicking one Tiroyaone Modisakgosi and fracturing his right cheek bone, both offences occurring the same day on July 4th, 2020.
The 39-year-old chief will appear in court for status hearing on February 18th, 2021.
To me he didn’t deserve bail since he is said he was committed another crime while on bail and why his he still chief?
To me this man doesn’t deserve to be a Chief. What kind of a leader can commit so many criminal cases instead of intervening for such bad behavior among his people? What is he really trying to take the village to? HELL to EXTINCTION?
His chieftainship tenure must be terminated with immediate effect period.