A Molepolole Magistrate’s Court last week released on bail Nkgopoleng Kolagano, a suspect in the recent Kumakwane cash-in-transit heist.
The 44-year-old Kolagano of Taung ward in Ramotswa who was arrested the same afternoon after the robbery incident was granted bail on Tuesday after his attorney, Olehile Mantswe, vehemently objected to his remand.
Its is alleged that Kolagano and six others who are still at large, on October 27th, 2020, at Kumakwane village acting jointly with a common purpose and being armed with rifles, robbed Oarabile Jeff Koloka, Mosotho Fagolethata Olaetse, Mosimane Keborate and Gadibotsane Motlhasedi, being security guards for Security Systems of the sum of P5 million and P10, 000 belonging to Security Systems and immediately before such robbery, used personal violence in order to overcome resistance.
The robbery incident occurred in the morning at around 5 am when the Security Systems van was transporting cash from Gaborone to Ghanzi.
According to the police, during his arrest, Kolagano was found in possession of cash amounting to P298, 000 in his car.
However, it is believed that the other suspects have since fled the country and that two of them are South Africans.
In her ruling, Magistrate Kefilwe Resheng cautioned the state to desist from registering cases before investigations are complete, with the expectation that they will have the accused remanded in custody by the court.
“This is a speedy way of doing things. In our law it is investigating and then arrest,” explained the magistrate.
Kolagano was granted a P5 000.00 conditional bail and was ordered to provide two sureties who would bind themselves with the same amount.
He was also ordered to report himself to Ramotswa police once a month.
The prosecutor, Sergeant Modise Masala, told the court that so far they have recorded some statements from Security Systems officers and that they intended to forward the matter to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) within a period of a month.
Kolagano will appear again for mention on January 26th, 2021.