Mystery man found at Sasa Klaas crash site
Court gags media from revealing more
An eyewitness who was one of the first to arrive at the scene of the deadly helicopter crash that claimed the life of Hip Hop star, Sasa Klaas, has told court there was an unknown man at the wreckage site.
Dropping his bombshell at the ongoing inquest into the tragedy before Molepolole Magistrates’ Court this week, Tshokodiso Moilwa, 25, maintained he found a gentleman he had never seen before standing by the debris.
It is the first mention of such an individual since the inquest began on 2nd September, in which time eight others have taken to the stand to give evidence.
The mystery man’s identity will remain a puzzle for now, as, despite being allowed to ask follow-up questions, court instructed The Voice reporter to keep the answers to herself.
With Sasa Klaas’ mum, the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Annah Mokgethi, hanging on every word, Moilwa revealed he had been ‘on entertainment’ with his fellow herdboys at a neighbouring Sojwe farm on the day of the fatal accident (5th March, 2021).
He said he observed a well-known businessman and the owner of a nearby game farm, Leonard Matenje’s helicopter flying overhead just before sunset.
“Later, after sunset, about an hour and some minutes, we heard a voice of someone coming, shouting Collen’s name, and there arrived Matenje, who looked terrified, holding his shoes. He told us that his helicopter had crashed. He directed me and Afi Mabele [another herdboy] to where it had crashed and told us to hurry as someone had broken a leg,” explained Moilwa.
The herdboy, popularly known as Ekesa, said they rushed to the scene, where they found the wrecked helicopter grounded beside an uprooted fence.
“There was a lady lying next to the helicopter’s crushed parts. We found one other person there, who, it was my first time to see. Later, arrived Dusane [Matenje’s farm manager] with other crew.”
During questioning, when everyone was allowed to ask questions, The Voice asked Moilwa to describe the man he found at the scene, if he was a passenger on the aircraft and what happened to him after.
However, Chief Magistrate Gaseitsiwe Tonoki ordered our reporter not to include the responses in her story, stressing it was purely for court clarification.
For his part, when he took to the stand, Mabele, who testified before Moilwa and made no mention of a mystery man, estimated the helicopter flew past at around 8pm.
He maintained that by the time Matenje arrived crying for help, it was already too dark to see without the assistance of a light.
Another witness who gave evidence was Police pilot, Senior Superintendent, Molisi Kebe, who was the first officer to receive a report of the crash.
Although both he and Matenje originate from Tutume and are members of the Botswana Aviation Community, Kebe told court they were not close friends.
“We met at funerals and weddings at home, we met at Isaac Makwala’s wedding and Matsieng Air Show. I talked to him maybe a month before the incident, once in a while, I can’t remember,” insisted the Senior Superintendent.
The pilot revealed he was at his farm in Dikgonnye when he received a call from Matenje at around 2249hrs informing him that his helicopter had crashed.
“He wanted assistance reporting to air control and the police,” explained Kebe.
At 2306hrs, Khama Tower Air Traffic Controller Airways were duly alerted, as was Sojwe Police Station.
When asked if he had enquired about the time of the crash, Kebe admitted there was no mention of when exactly it had happened.
“There is no set procedure when it comes to a plane accident. One can report to Director Civil Aviation, nearest police station, chief or headman,” he said.
Meanwhile, Matenje is likely to take to the stand again after the deceased’s family’s newly appointed attorney, Bonolo Itumeleng, who was only hired after the inquest began, hinted she might have more questions for him.