P2m heist case moves to Gaborone amid security fears

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Wednesday June 20, 2012 00:00

 

Yesterday, Molepolole Magistrate Faith Dlamini-Ngandu ruled that the case be heard at Extension II Magistrate Court on July 9th. The prosecution had expressed fear for some exhibits which had to be transported from Gaborone to Molepolole where the case was being tried.

Meanwhile, three of the five accused in the case have been ditched by their attorney, Busang Manewe. Matlhatlhobi Bagopi, Brutus Mokgalo and Gerald Zikhale told the Molepolole magistrate that they could not agree on certain issues with Manewe and decided to part ways.  

The case involves Bagopi, Onkabetse Malope, Mokgalo, Zikhale and Meshack Kangangwane, a Trojan employee.

The case was called to set new dates for a judicial case management conference after it was previously postponed.

The trio informed court that they were in the process of securing new legal representation, assuring court that by the next court appearance the issue will be sorted out. Magistrate Dlamini-Ngandu ordered all the accused persons to bring their attorneys on July 9th to set trial dates while awaiting a judicial case management conference.

Dlamini-Ngandu further ordered that the case be mentioned at Extension II Magistrate Court for security reasons.

The robbery occurred around 3am near Ditlhakane River in Kumakwane. Seven men armed with pistols and other weapons attacked two security guards driving to Gantsi. During the heist, the suspected robbers allegedly used two vehicles and left a stolen Toyota 4x4 van at the scene of the crime. The vehicle was allegedly stolen from Phase II in Gaborone. It belongs to Moffat Kandjou. At the time of their arrest, police recovered P800,000 from the suspected robbers. They also face a charge of motor vehicle theft.