- circumstantial evidence convinces prosecutors it was murder and not suicide
The State has this week unveiled new information which it argues points towards foul play in the deaths of 40-year-old Lesang Noga and her six-month-old baby, Yuri Noga who were recently found hanging from a tree in Matlapana ward, Maun.
Pleading for the accused, 38-year-old man, Tlhalosang Kelapile who was a partner to Lesang and also a father to Yuri to be denied bail, Investigation Officer Detective Assistant Commissioner Sergeant Marapo revealed that new information suggesting that the initially suspected murder suicide incident was instead a deliberate murder.
Marapo told the court that the matter remains under active investigation and is based on circumstantial evidence that points toward foul play.
He said the horrific discovery was made on the morning of September 19, 2025, around 0650hrs when a local resident, Mogomotsi Letsile, alerted the police after coming across the bodies of a woman and child hanging from a tree.
“While the initial appearance may have suggested suicide, further inspection revealed that the scene had signs of being staged,” Marapo said.
He emphasised that their findings so far indicate the deaths were not self-inflicted but instead a result of deliberate murder. He further revealed that the only shoeprints found at the scene were those of the deceased and the accused, reinforcing suspicion around Kelapile’s involvement.
Detective Marapo pleaded with the court to deny him bail, stressing the seriousness of the crime and the possibility of interference with the investigation.
Further Marapo revealed in court that another lead, is of an involvement of a third party, who though was not in Maun, may be key in the investigations.
“There is a potential lead to an individual believed to be romantically linked to the accused who is currently working in one of the safari camps in the Delta. Her testimony may be crucial, and we are yet to locate and interview her,” he said.
He warned that releasing the accused could jeopardize this key lead, adding that justice can only be served if investigations proceed without disruption.
Further, Marapo stated that the accused, who had initially claimed to have been at church on the night of the incident between 5 pm and 10 pm was not telling the truth. The investigating officer told court that the accused did attend church, but not at the time he had mentioned.
Kelapile’s attorney, Kutobe Modie, challenged the state’s position, questioning whether the accused’s release would truly hinder progress. He argued that his client is a first-time offender, with no prior convictions or history of violence. “What is the likelihood that he would interfere with investigations, particularly when he has cooperated fully so far?” Modie asked.
He added that the accused should be considered innocent until proven guilty, and that remanding him further could violate his rights if no concrete evidence links him directly to the crime.
However, Magistrate Gofaone Mosweu ruled in favour of the state, citing the gravity of the alleged offence and the sensitivity of the ongoing investigations. Kelapile has been further remanded in custody and is expected to return to court on October 14, when a formal bail ruling will be delivered.
