A 20-year old man of Sedie Ward in Maun who is alleged to have brutally murdered and burnt his 12-year-old sister beyond recognition in 2022 has made another desperate plea to be granted bail while the case is still pending committal to high court.
The latest bid follows on his initial application which was rejected by the Maun Chief Magistrate, Thebeetsile Mulalu.
The accused person, Ogona Thabologang who has been in custody since his arrest on the 9th September last year is alleged to have murdered his sister Lesego Thabologang on the 4th of September 2022 around 2030 at Sedie in their bedroom and later took her corps to a bush near their home and burnt her beyond recognition.
He is thereafter reportedly confessed to the offence during interrogation after his arrest. He is said to have took the police to the scene where they found the 12 year old deceased’s body which was burnt beyond recognition. The accused person however reportedly did not explain the reasons to committing the horrific offence.
Appearing before Mulalu on Tuesday, Thabologang who was in March this year denied bail, has since made another desperate plea to be released. He argued that he needed to meet with his family.
Thabologang has also told court he was arrested and beaten by the police without any knowledge of what his offence was.
Mulalu however advised the accused person to take the bail matter to the high court as he still stands by the decision to deny him one.
The chief magistrate has previously explained to the accused person that according to his psychiatrist’s report, he suffers anti-social personalities characterised by excessive substance abuse and aggressiveness towards community members hence he is not fit to be around the community.
“The accused person requires a structured environment such as rehabilitation centres. Until a reassessment has been done, I will go with the current Doctor’s recommendations,” Mulalu previously ruled against Tlhabologang’s bail application.
Thabologang went through a psychiatric assessment following Mulalu’s recommendation after noticing unusual conduct during his previous court appearances. He was subsequently taken to Jubilee Psychiatric Hospital in Francistown on the 20th November 2022 for the assessment.
He will appear again in court on the 5th September 2023 for status update.
