- Court had issued a warrant of arrest, then suspended it on condition that she complies
- CID office had failed to furnish prosecution with documents for a murder case
- The case involves former DBS employee
- Prosecution says this delayed case’s committal to high court
- CID office has since complied
Maun Police CID Officer in charge, Assistant Superintendent Keotshwaretse Molathegi recently escaped jail by a whisker after Maun Chief Magistrate, Thebeetsile Mulalu suspended a warrant of arrest he issued against her for being in contempt of court.
A warrant of arrest against Molathegi was issued after her office failed to furnish prosecution with a fire arm certificate and log book in a murder case involving former Department of Broadcasting Services employee, Gopolang Gabonatsela.
The office had on three mentions failed to honour the court order made in January for them to handover the said documents for the case to be committed to the high court.
The warrant was issued after prosecutor Maitshwarelo Thomas told court that the case’s committal to high court is being delayed by CID office’s failure to submit the fire arm certificate for the gun used to kill the deceased and a log book of the DBS vehicle which the accused person was using when committing the offence.
After issuing an arrest warrant against the officer, Mulalo however immediately suspended it on condition that Molathegi comes before court this past week to explain why her office cannot be held in contempt of court.
Appearing before Mulalu on behalf of Molathegi, Investigating Officer (IO) Nkape this past Friday told court that Molatlhegi’s office has managed to avail the documents to prosecution. This subsequently led to the cancelation of the arrest warrant.
Nkape further indicated that they did not manage to source the post-mortem report.
“We have tried to source the report but we were told that it has not yet been released by the doctor, our last attempt to get the report was on the 8th June this year. As soon as we are issued with it we will then hand it over to prosecution,” Nkape said.
Nkape noted that they had just realised that the report was not availed in the evidence documents as the substantive IO of the case has been suspended.
In response Mulalu ordered the hospital superintendent at Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital to ensure that the report is sent to the IO before the 22nd June 2023.He said that if the report has not been received by then, the superintendent will then have to give an explanation before court on the 4th July.
The accused person Gopolang Gabonatsela is facing a single count of murder after he allegedly killed Taolo Serapelano with a single bullet at the back of the head in 2020. The incident reportedly took place near Dauga Cattle post where Gabonatsela, who was in company of a colleague had travelled to using a government vehicle.
The duo is said to have then met the deceased and his cousin Diphuka Kerepile riding on horses. Gabonatsela is said to have previously accused the deceased for riding his horse.
It is alleged that Gabonatsela then engaged in an argument with the deceased and it is reported that Gabonatsela pulled him down from the horse with the intention to tie him but the deceased managed to set free and run. It was at this point that Gabonatsela allegedly shot him on the head as he tried to flee.
The accused will appear on the 4th July 2023 for status update.
