20 year old Ogona Thabologang of Sedie Ward in Maun who is alleged to have recently murdered and burnt beyond recognition his 12 year old sister has been remanded in custody pending ruling on his bail application by the Maun Magistrate’s Court.
According to court documents, the deceased person Lesego Thabologang who went missing on the 4th of September 2022 was allegedly found dead and burnt beyond recognition on the 6th September 2022 on the outskirts of Sedie Ward.
The deceased is said to have been reported missing by her 52 year old father on the morning of the 5th September after she went to sleep in the room she shared with her alleged murderer the previous night.
On the 6th September the accused person was arrested and it was through interrogation that he allegedly confessed to committing the crime at around 2030hrs on the 4th. The accused person who did not explain reasons for committing the offence then took the police to where his sister’s remains were. The police then found the remains of the 12-year-old Mathiba burnt beyond recognition.
Appearing in court for his arraignment on Friday, September 9th, the youthful Thabologang pleaded that he be granted bail for him to meet with his family and talk to them about the matter.
“I want to meet my family and make concerted efforts to explain to them about the matter and why I did that,” Thabologang requested in his oral bail application.
State Prosecution however objected his bail application pleading with the court to remand him as the matter was still at an infancy stage. It feared that if granted bail, the accused person might interfere with possible witnesses whose statements have not yet been collected.
Prosecution has also beseeched for the accused person to be remanded in custody for his own safety as the matter is still fresh and some family members are still fuming over the horrific incident he is alleged to have committed.
Though Thabologang has indicated that he will represent himself it was however brought to his attention that he can engage an attorney at a later stage or the State will offer him one if the matter will be committed to the High Court.
The accused person will be remanded in custody until his next court appearance on the 16th September for bail ruling.
