Double-murder accused makes strange request
A man accused of killing his mum and ex-girlfriend in separate incidents on a mad night in June over three years ago wants Maun High Court to allow him to jointly argue his case alongside his attorney during trial.
Double-murder accused, Moabi Molapisi made the unusual application before Maun High Court on Wednesday, where he is to stand trial for his mother, Kehetwe Molapisi’s murder.
In what is widely thought to be the first request of-its-kind in Botswana’s legal history, the 43-year-old told court he wants to speak interchangeably with his lawyer, Lesego Phoi.
Outlining his client’s wishes, Phoi explained, “The application is primarily based on section 10 in Part II of the Botswana Constitution which provision deal with safeguards to guarantee a fair criminal trial, and the enjoyment of fundamental human rights and freedoms by every person in Botswana.”
In preparation for the trial, Molapisi, who is currently on remand, also wants to be connected to the Internet.
“The applicant seeks an order from the court directing state agents under whom he is in custody including Commissioner of Prisons Services to provide him with adequate facilities to enable him to prepare for his trial and such adequate facilities include reasonable time and facilities to access the internet, visit libraries, conduct research, access the printer and to carry out investigations in person pertaining to the criminal charges that he is facing,” continued Phoi.
Further arguments on the application have been set for 12th October.
Molapisi was arrested on 30 June 2020 near Lions Park on the outskirts of Gaborone.
The previous night he allegedly hacked his 64-year-old mum to death with an axe at her home in the tourist town’s Matlapana ward, before driving to the other side of the country.
Having travelled close to 1, 000km overnight, Molapisi is said to have arrived in Ramatswa the following morning, where he is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, 24-year-old nurse, Gofiwa Kabelo.
As well as his mother’s brutal murder, Molapisi is facing charges of: house breaking, obtaining by false pretence and unlawful use of motor vehicle before Maun High Court.
Having previously written a letter confessing to killing his mum, Molapisi has long since retracted this statement, repeatedly protesting his innocence and claiming he penned the confession under police torture.
Kabelo’s murder, meanwhile, is being handled in the capital.