Kill a man on Sunday, be free by Sunday

Sharon Mathala
Kill a man on Sunday, be free by Sunday

• Court frees man accused of neighbour’s murder

A 29-year-old man of Lobatse who stands accused of murdering his neighbour on Sunday has been granted bail by the Lobatse Magistrates’ Court.

Three days after allegedly committing murder, Tumelo Ogotseng has been freed after the state failed to provide the court with sufficient reasons why he should remain behind bars.

- Advertisement -

Ogotseng appeared before the Lobatse magistrate on Wednesday facing a single count of murder.

His charge sheet, which was read out to him in court, states, “The accused person, Tumelo Mathambo Ogotseng, on 24th April, 2022 at Peleng location in Southern Administration District of the Republic of Botswana, murdered Mompoloki Raphala.”

In court, the state, through the police prosecutor, tried in vain to argue that Ogotseng’s remand should be extended on the basis that the matter was still fresh and that investigations had just started.

The police further told the court that they were yet to recover the weapon, believed to be a knife, used to commit the said crime.

The state also tried to advance to the Chief magistrate, Gofaone Morweng, that there was still animosity in the hood of Peleng, especially that the deceased and the accused were neighbours and also that the accused had vowed to revenge against others who were in the company of the deceased.

The Magistrate was not convinced that those were good enough reasons advanced by the prosecution to keep the man behind bars, choosing instead to set the man free.

- Advertisement -

Allegations are that Ogotseng was apparently attacked by the deceased and a few others.

He is said to have managed to overpower the mob and ended up stabbing the deceased to death.

In the end, Ogotseng was granted cash bail of P5,000 and is expected to return to court on 12th May, 2022 for status hearing.

Leave a comment