Turn Rite Mall convict’s bail bid turned down
One of the four men convicted of the infamous P2.3 million Turn Rite Mall armed-robbery was told to turn right back around and return to prison after court rejected his bid for bail.
Thapelo Lekobe, 39, is fighting to overturn his guilty verdict and subsequent 19-year jail sentence, handed down by Broadhurst Magistrates Court on 5 September 2025.
Seeking temporary freedom on the grounds that his appeal has a reasonable chance of success, the road to redemption got off to a rocky start on Wednesday.
Lekobe, who has been languishing behind bars since his arrest on 15 October 2021, the same day of the robbery, feels his conviction was down to the ‘unreliable testimony’ of a single identifying eye-witness.
Back before Broadhurst Magistrates, Lekobe raised several complaints in his application.
He noted that no identification parade was conducted, no stolen property was recovered from him, and that the witness who identified him, PW7, was under duress during the robbery, with a firearm pointed directly at him.
He further argued the witness’s evidence conflicted that of police officer, Sergeant Mukutwe, who testified that five attackers were involved, casting doubt on the accuracy of the identification.
Opposing the application, the state pointed out ‘presumption of innocence’ no longer applies after conviction.
Prosecutors argued that bail pending appeal can only be granted under exceptional circumstances, which Lekobe had failed to demonstrate.
Magistrate Goabaone Rammapudi-Lesedi agreed, admitting court was not persuaded there were reasonable prospects of the appeal proving successful.
In fact, based on what she heard, the Magistrate declared there was ‘no prospect of the appeal succeeding!’
“The applicant was convicted based on the totality of credible evidence before the court, both direct and circumstantial,” she ruled.
The Magistrate found that ‘PW7’ had ample opportunity to observe the attackers during the daylight robbery, stating fear alone does not render identification unreliable.
“Identification is still possible even when a person is in fear,” she explained, noting the witness was adamant Lekobe was one of the perpetrators who stayed behind to guard the victims while others went to the ATM.
Addressing the issue of conflicting testimony, the court held that Sergeant Mukutwe’s evidence did not contradict the state’s case, as two of the attackers had remained behind while three proceeded to the ATM, with Lekobe identified as one of the two.
The court further noted that circumstantial evidence linked Lekobe to the crime, including the recovery of stolen property in the vicinity where he and his co-accused were arrested and a false alibi he provided when questioned about his presence in the area.
As for the absence of an identification parade, Rammapudi-Lesedi ruled that the evidence presented met the required standard of proof even without one.
Sent back to the slammer, Lekobe was advised of his right to appeal the decision to the High Court.
Earlier today (5 September 2025), a month after receiving the dreaded ‘guilty’ verdict, the P2.3 million Turn Rite Mall robbers finally learnt their fate.
It was more bad news for the convicted quartet: Mothusi Matomela, 45, Thapelo Lekobe, 39, and South African nationals, Mzwandile Mazibuko and Ntholephi Elliot Ntshalintshali.
With no extenuating circumstances, Broadhurst Magistrates Court hit the four men with the full weight of the law, sentencing each to 16 years behind bars for armed robbery.
It got worse.
The thieves were handed an additional three-year prison term for possession of a stolen Toyota Fortuner.
Their pockets didn’t escape either, fined P2, 000 each for unlawful possession of firearms and a further P2, 000 for unlawful possession of ammunition. Failure to pay will see an extra 12 months added to their sentences.
The two South Africans were also fined P3, 000 for being in Botswana illegally, with the threat of another 18 months in the slammer if they don’t pay.
It got worse still.
In a final painful blow, Magistrate Goabaone Rammapudi-Lesedi ruled that the sentences would run consecutively (one after the other), meaning in total they will be locked up for 19 years – providing they pay their fines.
The one ray of light on a dark day for the four was that their sentence was backdated to the time of their arrest, 15 October 2021, the same day of the daring daylight robbery.
However, the accused’s attorney, Leonard Mosepele voiced strong dissatisfaction at the sentencing and promised to appeal.
“There are a lot of things the Magistrate did not take into consideration, but to give a hefty sentence of 16 years of the new amendment, which the offence was committed before that amendment, one would feel it would have been fair to impose a 10 year sentence period. We are aggrieved by the judgment and the sentence so definitely we are going to appeal against both,” declared Mosepele.
Meanwhile, the bulk of the stolen cash has been returned to its rightful owners, the rifles and pistols restored to the officers, and the Toyota Fortuner returned to its South African owner. All other exhibits were forfeited to the state.
The dramatic robbery saw the suspects ambush FNB custodians, G4S security personnel, and a police escort car in broad daylight, making away with over P2.3 million and fleeing in a stolen vehicle. They did not get far, however, and were arrested in Mogoditshane later the same day, with P2.1 million of the stolen loot recovered.
The sentencing finally closes the chapter on one of Botswana’s most brazen crimes in recent memory…for now!
