A 34-year-old man of Ghabamochaa cattle post near Shorobe recently appeared before Maun Magistrate court charged with a single count of murder.
Keatlaretse Mogapi is alleged to have, on the 20th of September 2022, together with the deceased, Emmanuel Motorokara spent the day at Ghabamochaa cattle post drinking traditional beer.
It is alleged that around 1900hrs the duo went to the accused person’s place where they had a misunderstanding which led to a heated argument.
The ensuing argument caught the attention of Mogapi’s neighbour, Lebang Maphomo who went over and found the accused person beating the deceased (who was motionless) with a wooden log.
The matter was reported to the police who took the deceased to Letsholathebe II Memorial hospital where he was certified dead. His body is currently lying in the morgue awaiting post-mortem.
Mogapi whose plea was reserved has since been remanded in custody after the prosecution pleaded that the matter was still fresh. Furthermore, the prosecution argued that they are yet to collect statements from possible witnesses.
The accused person was however unable to deliver his arguments as the Chief Magistrate responsible for his case, Thebeetsile Mulalu is said to be on leave. His bail argument has been scheduled for the 4th of October 2022.
Before the same court, Magistrate Gaone Bagopi has also extended the remand warrant for murder accused, Xomae Xomae pending his bail ruling by Chief Magistrate Mulalu. Xomae of Kaure cattle post will be remanded until the 11th October for the ruling.
The 22-year-old is alleged to have on the 16th July 2022 murdered one, Odireleng Moamerika in Tsau village following a misunderstanding. Court heard that on the day of the incident, the deceased is said to have found the suspect together with his friends at one of the residences in Tsau and he jokingly accused him of having many girlfriends consequently leading to a misunderstanding.
It is said that the suspect then allegedly stabbed the deceased with a sharp object on the chest and left him lying motionless in a pool of blood and fled the scene. The matter was then reported to the police who upon arrival rushed the deceased to Tsau clinic where he was certified dead.
The accused person was arrested the following day at his cattle post in Kaure. Xomae is reported to have then confessed the ordeal and showed the knife he used to kill the deceased.
Xomae has been in custody since his arrest as prosecution feared for his safety. Prosecution argued that Xomae’s bail will jeopardise his safety as it emerged that the two families of the deceased and the accused person have always had bad blood before the incident took place.
Furthermore, the state alleged that the families are 500 meters apart from each other and if the accused person is released it will put life in danger as the deceased’s family is still mourning and angry.
On his bail argument, the accused person previously pleaded with the court to give him bail and promised to stay in Maun and not Tsau where the incident is alleged to have taken place.
