Taxi driver’s bail bid hits red light

Suspected killer kept behind bars

The taxi driver suspected to have shot and killed his married lover in cold blood was further remanded in custody this Tuesday.

31-year-old Oabile Sekwati has been locked up ever since the day of the fatal shooting, 21 October 2020.

The Molepolole man’s latest bid for freedom hit another red light as the Magistrates Court ruled it was too dangerous to release him.

The prosecution also pointed out that Sekwati was a flight risk, warning he might be tempted to run in order to avoid a potential date with the hangman’s noose – a sentence that could await Sekwati should he be found guilty.

Presiding over the bail hearing, Molepolole Chief Magistrate Goabaone Rammapudi-Lesedi explained, “There are five considerations to be taken into account.

“The first is the nature of accusations against the accused and the severity of punishment, the nature of the evidence in support of the charge, the prejudice to the accused if bail is not granted and prejudice to the state if bail is granted.”

According to the charges against him, following a frantic car chase, Sekwati caught up with and then shot down his married girlfriend, Keneilwe Mpho Steven.

Police believe Sekwati was motived by jealousy, after catching Steven, 37, in the company of another man.

The same man was in the passenger’s seat when Steven was killed and thus is expected to testify for the prosecution as an eye-witness.

In his submissions, the prosecutor told court the man is afraid that if Sekwati is granted bail, he might come after him. Thus he urged court to keep the suspect locked up in order to protect the witness.

It was a request Magistrate Rammapudi-Lesedi agreed to, remanding the accused killer in custody until his next mention, set for 24 February.