The Maun Magistrate Court has granted bail to 35-year-old Thokomelang Mpinang of Boyei ward who has been charged with a single count of threat to kill and that of causing damage to property.
Mpinang is facing two separate counts, one for threatening to kill his girlfriend Keitumetse Ketlaaleka and the other for causing malicious damage to property belonging to her. The incident is alleged to have occurred in Shashe ward on March 22 this year.
Mpinang reportedly accused the complainant of cheating on him with another man who the complainant explained as a potential buyer for her residential plot. Despite the explanations, the accused person allegedly later on around 23:00 threatened to kill Ketlaleka by uttering the words ‘ke tla go bolaya a bo ke go lathela mo toilet,’ which translates to ‘I will kill you and throw you into the toilet.’
The accused person is said to have then proceeded to assault the complainant, before taking her cellphone, smashed it with a hammer then removed the sim cards and broke them into pieces.
Mpinang was previously remanded in custody following State Prosecutor Mmoloki Boshati’s plea that investigations on the matter were still at an infancy stage. The State feared the accused person may interfere with witnesses and an exhibit (hammer) which was yet to be collected.
Boshati argued that the accused person should be remanded as he resides with the complainant hence granting him bail will lead him straight to the complainant.
Pleading for bail, Mpinang however told court that he has a place of residence in Makalamabedi where he will stay if granted bail. He indicated that he only comes to Maun when visiting his girlfriend Ketlaaleka.
The accused person further pleaded with the court grant him bail that he is taking care of his elder sibling in Makalamabedi who is epileptic noting that if remanded his sibling will not receive the health care he requires.
“Whenever I visit my girlfriend in Maun I leave my sibling with the neighbors to look after him because I never take longer in Maun,” Mpinang claimed. He further indicated that he is asthmatic and uses medication which are mostly herbs.
When granting him bail recently, Maun Chief Magistrate Thebeetsile Mulalu ordered Mpinang to pay an amount of P1000 and also to report to Maun police once every month end. Mpinang was also ordered to not contact the complainant. The accused person will appear again on June 7th.
