Barcelos suspected robbers in court

Tumelo Mouwane | Tuesday September 6, 2016 15:21

 

Batshabane, Tshwanelo Tshimologo (34) and another suspect who was not in court were arrested on August 15 following an exchange of fire with the police which resulted in the hospitalisation of the third suspect at the Princess Marina Hospital.

However, police have not yet opened any case of attempted murder against the accused persons.

Sergeant Nfandiso Mbaakanyi said charges will only be laid against the suspects after the third suspect is released from hospital where he is reported to be stable.

The suspects are alleged to have committed two acts of armed robbery on August 15.

The suspects are alleged to have robbed Amos Mogufo of his Toyota Corolla at gunpoint at BMC Estates. The same car was allegedly used in a robbery at Barcelos Restaurant in which approximately P5,000 was taken at gun point.

Customers’ cellphones were also stolen in the process. The stolen car was later recovered abandoned near Itireleng JSS in Lobatse.

The state did not contest Batshabane’s bail application but they were skeptical about releasing Tshimologo on bail.

Nfandiso said Tshimologo could not be trusted since he was granted bail in other matters but failed to show up in court.

“Investigations on this matter are still on going and the accused person was admitted on bail in other matters but failed to show up.

We don’t trust him. We are not opposed to the second accused being admitted on bail but the first accused person cannot be trusted,” he said

Tshimologo said there is nothing that links him to the current offence.

“I don’t understand which case the police are talking about.

Those cases were trialed, judged and a sentence was passed.

I was arrested in town and I don’t know what links me to this offence,” he said.

Batshabane was granted bail on condition that he binds himself with P1,000, attend court at set dates and not to commit any offences whist on bail.