Maun Chief Magistrate, Thebeetsile Mulalu has remanded in custody murder accused person, Xomae Xoma of Kaure cattle post pending his bail hearing.
The 22 year accused person who is facing a single count of murder, is alleged to have on the 16th July 2022 murdered one, Odireleng Moamerika in Tsau village following a misunderstanding.
When briefing court as to why the State Prosecution has applied for the accused person’s remand, Investigating Officer (IO) Detective Sergeant Onalethata Motlhapisi argued that the matter is still fresh as they are yet to locate other witnesses and record statements.
He also pleaded for the accused person to be remanded in custody as his release will jeopardise his safety arguing that during interrogation he confessed to have earlier on before the incident had a confrontation with the nephew of the deceased.
Motlhapisi further said the accused person live in the same village where the deceased person lived which has only 500 meters between the two yards. “I am of the view that the family of the deceased are still angry because during my investigations I established that the two families of the deceased and the accused person have been having bad blood way before the incident,” the IO stressed.
Motlhapisi has however noted that the State does not have any objections of the accused person being granted bail at a later stage after prosecution has assessed the situation and met with the deceased’s family.
When answering to the accused person’s question as to when investigations will be complete, Motlhapisi responded that they are not certain as to when they will be complete noting that they are still awaiting results from the forensic laboratory.
The accused person still pleaded with the court to grant him bail and promised to stay in Maun not Tsau where the incident is alleged to have taken place.
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 in 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 upon arrival.
The accused person was later arrested the following day at his cattle post in Kaure where police found him sleeping. Xoma is reported to have then confessed the ordeal and showed the knife he used to allegedly kill the deceased.
The accused person whose plea is still being reserved will appear in court again on the 18th August 2022 for status update and bail hearing.
