Shashemooke 'riot instigators' out on bail
Lebogang Mosikare | Thursday October 10, 2013 22:52
Three more people have been charged bringing the number of those in court to 16, according to the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent Lapologang Moatswi.
The residents allegedly ran amok at the 29 September funeral of a woman, Florence Ramontsho, whose remains were retrieved from a borehole in the village.
The remains were retrieved from a borehole said to belong to a close relative of Shashemooke village headman David Adam on 18 September 2013. Ramontsho, who worked as a maid in the village, disappeared without trace on 3 October 2011. In the first count, the state alleges that all the accused said: 'The headman of Shashemooke (Adam) has eaten (killed) a child and he should be beaten. We do not want bones.
'These bones should not be buried. If it was in Mochudi they would not accept these bones. Old men with grey hairs are just cold and do not say anything.'
In the second charge the accused unlawfully assaulted Adam by hitting him with a sjambok on the head and a stone on his left arm.
He incurred bruises on his ear and arm, the charge sheet reads.
In the last count the state alleges that the accused damaged a Land Rover belonging to Adam by smashing its windscreens, windows, headlamps, tail lights and indicators.
Moatswi told Chief Magistrate Peggy Madandume that investigations into the matter were still continuing. He told the court that they had established that the headman also sustained a fractured finger and applied for the amendment of the charge sheet to include that information in the second count. Maotswi said three other suspects had been arrested and police were still looking for more. 'The situation at the village is now calm hence we do not object to the accused being granted bail,' he said.
The magistrate granted the accused bail on condition that they appear in court whenever needed much to the relief of Shashemooke residents who had packed the public gallery.
The accused are due in court on 12 November.