Matome returns to court

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Wednesday June 6, 2012 00:00

 

Gaongalelwe refused Matome leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal as he found that there were no prospects of success in his case.Matome has already served seven months of his two-year sentence imposed by then Magistrate Lot Moroka and confirmed by the High Court on appeal. Matome was convicted of giving fictitious information to former president Festus Mogae to support the allocation of Plot 55720 in Gaborone to the TourismDevelopment Consortium (TDC).Louis Nchindo, former Debswana managing director, owned TDC.

After the High Court denied him leave to appeal, Matome approached the Court of Appeal at which judge John McNally freed him, albeit temporarily.Granting him bail, McNally ordered that Matome binds himself on his own cognisance and that he informs the head of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime when he travels outside the country.  Matome has engaged Collins Newman & Co who are challenging Gaongalelwe's decision.Garvas Nchindo is also challenging the ruling.

Meanwhile, suspects in a robbery in which Trojan Security Company lost about P2 million, will appear before Molepolole Magistrate Court today. The suspects, Motlhatlhobi Bagopi, Onkabetse Malope, Brutus Mokgalo, Gerald Zikhale and Meshack Kangangwane (Trojan employee) have already appeared in court and were granted bail.

The robbery occurred around 3am near Ditlhakane River in Kumakwane. Seven men armed with pistols and other weapons attacked two security guards driving the money to Gantsi. During the heist, the suspected robbers allegedly used two vehicles. They reportedly 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 the arrest, police had recovered P800,000 from the suspects.