- Ntsogotho and co-accused plead not guilty
The State has finally secured a Sesarwa interpreter for a case in which the North West District Council Chairman, Kebareeditse Ntsogotho and seven other co-accused persons are charged for poaching a buffalo.
The case has been dragging for almost three years as the prosecution could not secure a Sesarwa interpreter for one of the accused person who had indicated that he only understands Setswana.
During their previous court appearance in June last year, presiding magistrate Keneilwe Kgoadi said prosecution had difficulties to secure a Sesarwa interpreter since 2021 due to the differences in the dialects of the Sesarwa language. She had explained that previous interpreters secured by prosecution could not be understood by the accused person.
On Tuesday the state had secured the interpreter who was translating the court proceedings for the said accused person.
The accused persons, Ntsogotho, Sisco Ntsogotho, Keotshephile July, Kejisitswe Motsamai, Costa Chedao, Paul Mothathobi and Balebeng Stone John have since pleaded not guilty to the charge of hunting a buffalo without a license.
According to the charge sheet, the accused persons are alleged to have on May 10th 2020 acted jointly in poaching and killing a buffalo near Khwai village.
Ntsogotho and his co-accused were charged for poaching a month after he was gored by a charging buffalo on the 10th May 2020, where he sustained serious injuries. He is reported to have only regained consciousness at the hospital hours later. The same buffalo that left him for dead is the one they are accused to have killed without a license.
The accused persons who are represented by Luanda Antonio of Antonio and Partners Legal Practice will appear on the 25th May for Case Management Conference (CMC). They are all out on bail.
Meanwhile trial has been set for 7th September 2023 for Oteng Ramaeba, aged 28 of Boseja Ward who is said to have raped a woman in Matshwane in September 2022.
The incident is reported to have occurred at around 0700 hours in the morning when the victim was headed for work at a landfill. It is alleged that on that fateful morning, the victim boarded a taxi to work and when it dropped her off, she met with the accused person who allegedly informed her that he was also heading to the landfill.
Along the way in the bush, it is alleged that Ramaeba took out a knife and instructed the complainant to give him her cell phone before raping her. It is alleged that the accused person also threatened to kill the victim with the knife after raping her and then fled the scene making away with her cell phone.
The matter was reported to the police and investigations were launched leading to the arrest of the accused person.
Appearing before Maun Chief Magistrate Theebetsile Mulalu for CMC on Tuesday, the accused person denied ever meeting with the complainant or having forced sexual intercourse with her on that said day. He claimed that on that day he was with a different woman named Nametso.
When asked about his DNA which was found from the complainant’s genital swab, Ramaeba indicated that he does not understand what DNA was and demanded an explanation. Mulalu however assured him that a scientist and a doctor will be availed during trial to ensure that he understands.
Ramaeba who will bring two witnesses for his defence will appear in court again on the 7th September 2023 for commencement of trial.
