After desperately attempting to persuade court to grant him bail pending trial, double murder suspect, Moabi Molapisi has again been denied freedom by the Maun High Court.
Molapisi who had in his previous appearance denied confessing to the murder of his mother, Kehetwe Molapisi had requested that his judgement be read in his absence since he was at the time, appearing before Extension 2 Magistrate in Gaborone for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Gofiwa Kabelo.
In his ruling Judge Bugalo Maripe revealed that prosecution has satisfied him as to why Molapisi should not be granted bail.
“In my view the prosecution has discharged the onus resting on it as to why the applicant should not be granted bail, I therefore take the position that the status quo should remain the same until the completion of the matter,” said Justice Maripe.
The prosecution had submitted that the applicant is suicidal and further, his relatives especially his sister and husband who are currently in possession of Kehetwe Molapisi’s property, live in fear as they believe the motive behind the murder was to get inheritance.
They further submitted that Molapisi did not have any place of residence since he was staying at the backroom of his mother’s house which is now a crime scene and none of his relatives wanted to take him in because they feared him.
According to Maripe there is a similarity in the manner the two deceased lost their lives which shows, this is a matter that should be taken into account in any application for bail by those suspected to be behind it. He further indicated that there is no use of granting him bail if he was still to be remanded for another murder.
“It will not be right to grant a murder accused bail in respect to another charge while he is not granted bail in another. Even if I were to grant him bail, he would still remain in custody” added Maripe.
The Judge went on to assign the Prosecution to consolidate both the Maun murder charge and Ramotswa case.
“This connection between the two murder charges and the fact that one person is facing both charges although being heard at different courts prompted me to the issue of consolidation, I have not found a specific provision supporting this, neither have I found any provision prohibiting it,” stated Justice Maripe before he dismissed the bail application.
Molapisi’s bail application pending trial has been dismissed.
