Suspected battery thief busted two years later
Having successfully evaded Sojwe police for close to two years even though he was in jail for some of the time the long arm of the law has finally caught up with a suspected battery thief.
Thabani Sebata, 40, is accused of making away with P196, 120 worth of goods on 9 September 2023 in a robbery on the outskirts of Sojwe village.
Arrested on 17 June, the Zimbabwean was arraigned before Molepolole Magistrates Court last week and granted bail – despite the stolen items not yet being recovered and the police still hunting two more suspects in connection with the crime.
However, to secure his freedom, Sebata was ordered to bind himself with P2, 000 and provide two Batswana sureties signed to the same amount. He has been unable to meet this request and so remains behind bars, desperately trying to scrape together the money.
Particulars of the offence indicate the accused and two others stole 24 batteries, 12 belonging to Orange Botswana and 12 owned by Mascom, each valued at P8, 000.
On top of this, they allegedly took two padlocks, worth a total of P4, 000 as well as cables for P120.
The incident is said to have occurred at around 0330hrs in the early morning, when the wireless companies realised something was tempering with the network equipment and alerted the police.
The suspects fled the scene in a Toyota car just as the police arrived.
A chase ensued, which unfortunately came to a premature end when the cops ran out of petrol. Although they called their colleagues in Shoshong for assistance, it was already too late and the thieves managed to escape.
During last week’s court appearance, it emerged Sebata, who appeared with his arm in a sling, was already out on bail for a different robbery case before Mogoditshane police – something the authorities seemed clueless about.
“How can a thief steal with a broken arm? I haven’t violated any bail condition so far. I have 60 days on bail. I came to Botswana in 2004 and my passport was taken by the police in 2019. I haven’t gone anywhere,” maintained Sebata convincing court to grant him conditional bail – conditions, as of Monday morning he was unable to meet.
He is due back in court for mention on 28 August.
