A Sojwe rape suspect looked startled in the dock after a police officer he had enlisted as his witness turned and testified against him.
The accused 34-year-old Ogolotswe Tolwe had told Magistrate Lenah Mokibe-Oahile, who was handling the case at Molepolole Magistrates court that his witness was one Constable Supang Angela of Sojwe police.
Hopeful that the cop would come to his rescue, Tolwe was left mouth agape when Constable Angela told the court that she could not rule out the possibility that the accused committed the offence.
“The report was handed over to our section by another team and I was part of the team that went on the search for the suspects. We did not go to Tolwe’s place immediately after the case was reported. We started searching for both the accused persons at night clubs and later went to his accomplice’s place,” stated Angela.
Tolwe further told the court that it was difficult for him to question the witness as the magistrate had advised him that he could not cross-examine his own witness.
However, his co-accused 28-year-old Jenamiso Ramaeba shouted at Angela and accused her of lying under oath. “I have a heart disease, I cannot talk,” Ramaeba briefly said as he set down and wept.
Tolwe requested that he be allowed to file an affidavit to the high court complaining that he had been incarcerated for an offense he never committed.
The duo, Ramaeba and Tolwe are suspected to have raped their 29-year-old neighbour back in June 2015 throughout the night after drinking chibuku brew at a depot in Sojwe.
The court ordered the prosecution to file final submission to enable the accused to prepare theirs.
The duo of Tolwe and Ramaeba will appear for mention to make their submission on November 6th, 2020.
