A gang of suspected bogus police officers has been charged for swindling a Molepolole man of P25 000 cash.
The trio, 40-year-old Oteng Modise of Nkaikela ward, Moshupa, Onkutlwile Pogiso, 30, from Block 6, Gaborone and Onkutlule Boikanyo Solomon, 41, residing at Ntsono ward, Molepolole are each facing two counts of impersonating persons employed in the public service and theft common.
It is alleged that the three accused, together with the two who were not before court; on March 28th, 2023 at Ntloedibe ward, Molepolole, falsely presented themselves to Andrew Boikie Motsemme as police officers investigating a robbery case.
One of the accused men allegedly met Motsemme outside Borakalalo Choppies and he showed him a plastic bag containing some money claiming to have picked the money in the parking lot.
The suspect who reportedly asked Motsemme if he wanted a share of the money is said to have swiftly got into Motsemme’s car and requested him to drive away from people.
The duo went together to Lewis Memorial School play grounds where the other two suspects masquerading as police officers arrived and showed their police identity cards pretending they were on investigations and looking for a man who robbed a certain woman some money.
Later the suspects requested Motsemme to give them his personal identification number (PIN) also instructing him to switch off his cellphone and to only switch it on at around 2pm.
“That’s when they released the complainant and went with the first suspect he met at Choppies claiming they were going to detain him. It was later in the afternoon when the complainant returned from the cattlepost and immediately when he switched on the phone he received several messages indicating that money was withdrawn from his bank account. He speedily rushed to the bank to block the card and reported the matter to the police,” revealed a source close to the investigations.
However, the trio pleaded not guilty to the charges and prosecution did not object to them being granted bail.
They were given a conditional bail that they each pay the sum of P5000 cash and provide two sureties each, who would commit themselves to pay P1000.
The suspects will appear for mention on August 15th, 2023.
