SUSPECTED GUN THIEF IN COURT
A Zimbabwean man was arraigned before Francistown Magistrate Court on Tuesday accused a stealing a shotgun.
Facing a single count of robbery, 32-year-old Courage Chisoso is said to have robbed one, Edson Muthe Gaorekwe on 14 September at around 1830 hours near Phillip Matante International Airport.
The charge sheet states that, as well as the shotgun, which was valued at P30, 000, the unemployed accused made away with a Nokia Cellphone worth P150, three bullets and P600 in cash.
According to a police source, the theft was reported on the day it happened and Chisoso was arrested on 20 October by Central police officers for unlawful possession of a shotgun.
“He was arrested during a drinking spree in Monarch location. When officers checked on the serial numbers they found it is the same gun which was reported missing at Tatitown police and that is when they engaged Tatitown police officers,” the cop told The Voice.
In court, Prosecutor Isaiah Oabile pleaded for the accused’s remand, noting the cops were still looking for another man suspected to be involved in the robbery.
“The accused is a foreigner who does not have travelling documents. He has another case of entering the country through the ungazetted point of entry,” revealed Oabile.
For his part, Chisoso, who will be representing himself, claimed he was taken to the complainant who told police officers he was not the one who stole the shotgun.
“I was given the gun to keep it safe, I did not steal it,” maintained the suspect.
Despite his denials, Chisoso was remanded in custody until 7 December when he is due back in court for status update.
The Zimbabwean’s case had initially been scheduled for Monday but was delayed by a day as a Shona interpreter was unavailable.
However, Chisoso proved to be pretty fluent at Setswana, hurling a torrent of abuse at The Voice’s photographer for taking his picture as he left court. He now has over a month in a Botswana prison to brush up on the local language!
