A man wanted for April murder of a Letlhakeng District Council employee was last week Friday nabbed by police and taken into custody following a week long hunt for him.
The 22-year-old Maranjane from Shageng ward in Letlhakeng was arrested in the same village while having a good time and on a drinking spree in Moipisi ward.
He was wanted for murder of 49 year old Serowe native; Chief Social and Development officer, Kelebogile Mhlanga whose lifeless body was found by his colleagues in her bedroom on 24th April 2024. The manhunt for him was launched last week Tuesday through Botswana Police Service’s Facebook page.
Maranjane is said to have used violence to rob Mhlanga of a Samsung A54 mobile phone, an iPhone, BTC router, a wrist watch, Absa bank card, My Zaka card, Orange Money card and cash amounting to P5000. All the stolen properties were valued at P19 800.
According to prosecution some of the stolen property was found in his possession.
When he was arraigned before Molepolole Magistrate court on Tuesday this week, the prosecutor Sergeant Lemme Phiritshwane pleaded that he be remanded in custody since the matter was still fresh and so were the investigations.
“We are still to record some statements from the witness, some of the deceased properties were found from the accused,” explained Sergeant Phiritshwane.
Maranjane who appeared in court with his face hidden in a mask, opted to remain silent.
In this case Maranjane is facing two charges, one for murder and the other for robbery.
On April 9th, 2024, exactly two weeks before commission of the said crime, the same man appeared before court for a series of house breaking and theft activities dating back from September 2023. Mhlanga was said to have been a victim in one of those. Maranjane is said to have broken into her house earlier this year, on February 16th.
Reportedly he stole her properties including clothes, gym equipment, natural dreadlock, all valued at P16, 215.
Although the prosecutor in the matter, Inspector Batsalelwang Mosebola tried then to fight for the accused to be remanded in custody, Chief Magistrate Solomon Setshedi brushed it aside and pointed out that the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“A man cannot be denied his liberty unless there is cognisable evidence that he is likely to abscond and likely to commit other offences. Prosecution has failed to bring the investigation officer to prove that,” ruled the Magistrate.
Maranjane was given a conditional bail that he binds himself with the sum of P1000 and provide two sureties with the same amount each, also that he should not commit any offence whilst on bail.
Nonetheless, two weeks later, he is said to have attacked again, but unfortunately this time around ending it with Mhlanga’s death.
Maranjane will appear for murder and robbery bail hearing on May 28th, 2024 before Chief Magistrate Gaseitsewe Tonoki while mention for house breaking and theft cases is set for July 9th, 2024.
