Post mortem report goes missing
Maun chief magistrate, Thebeetsile Mulalo has ordered Letsholathebe memorial hospital to furnish police investigators with the report of a post mortem examination of a murder victim which was done in 2020 but was never released to the police.
The case that involves a government employee, Gopolang Gabanatsela who allegedly gunned down a cow-boy, Taolo Serapelano over a horse dispute in 2020, has forced the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) to obtain important investigation documents from the police through court orders following suspension of the case’s investigation officer.
The DPP told court that for them to be in a position to try the case in court, they need all affidavits in place including the post mortem report.
However according to the police submission in court last week, the investigating officer in the matter has since been suspended and they were yet to obtain the report from hospital.
“The post-mortem examination was done by a local pathologist at Letsholathebe hospital and when we requested for the copy of the report yesterday we were informed that the doctor never released the report,” explained a senior CID officer, Dikai Nkape in court.
The said pathologist is said to have since been transferred to another hospital outside Maun, but Nkape insisted that the post-mortem was done in 2020 and that hopefully the hospital will release the copy of the report.
Nkape was however able to furnish the DPP with other investigation documents including the government vehicle log book and a copy of a fire arm certificate which the court had to issue an order for their release two weeks ago.
Allegedly Gabanatsela, commonly known as GG, shot Serapelano in full view of two eye witnesses, including his co-worker, Mogotsi Seboko and the deceased friend Diphuka Kerepile. The two government employees were said to have been driving a government vehicle belonging to department of Information Services at the time of commission of the alleged crime.
