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The state on Tuesday opposed bail application by a Toteng man accused of killing another man at a drinking spot in Toteng early this month. The state has argued that if granted bail the accused may dispose some important components of a possible murder weapon used to commit the offence.
The accused, Kebatho Maithamako is alleged to have murdered one Gothebe Mpho on the 1st of September at Red Lark Farm in Toteng. Maithamako and the deceased were reportedly among the patrons at the local entertainment spot attending a festival on that fateful night.
It is alleged the accused person went to the man managing the entrance and angrily complained that there were no artists performing at the festival – despite him having paid the entrance fee. IT is further alleged that it was at this stage that he took out a knife from his pocket and cut the ropes that had been used to fasten the gate.
The deceased is said to have pleaded with the accused person to stop the harassment, but Maithamako is said to have charged at him instead and proceeded to kick and slap him, resulting in the deceased falling to the ground.
The accused is reported to have further stabbed the deceased with a knife twice on both thighs while he was still down. Following the ordeal, the deceased is said to have then gotten up and staggered towards the crowd, where he asked to be taken to the hospital while bleeding profusely, before collapsing where he was picked up unconscious.
Appearing before Maun Chief Magistrate Thebeetsile Mulalu, the investigating officer in the case Detective Sergeant Boston Motlhapisi pleaded for the accused person to be denied bail as they are yet to recover a part of the knife they found in his pocket. He told court that during Maithamako’s arrest they found two knives from his pocket, an indication that the other one only had the back part while other parts were missing.
“The accused person has failed to tell us where the other parts of the knife are, at first he said he threw them away along the road and thereafter he claimed that they are at his home,” Motlhapisi stressed.
He noted that between the full knife and the other one with missing parts they are yet to establish which one was the murder weapon. The prosecutor said they therefore fears that granted bail the accused person may dispose the murder weapon.
The IO further argued that the accused person should be remanded for his own safety citing that the deceased’s family was still angry and that they may seek revenge for him. This he said was coming from an observation he made when visiting the deceased’s family.
Motlhapisi further argued that he is yet to collect statements from two eye witnesses who were there during the ordeal.
Maithamako had pleaded to be granted bail in order for him to secure funds to for an attorney.
He promised not to interfere with any possible witnesses, adding that he does not even know the identity of the said eye witnesses. He further promised to stay in Maun and make sure he does not meet with the deceased’s family. The accused person will appear in court again on October 3rd, 2023 for bail ruling.
