Botswana Police Service will seek a separation of trial of suspects in a case relating to the armed robbery of top flight football outfit Township Rollers.
This follows the BPS’ failure to arrest the fifth suspect in the matter. The suspect, believed to be a certain Wabo Nthole, is believed to have fled to South Africa to escape clutches of the law.
According to the Old Naledi police, under who the case is registered, the prosecutors are seeking that four of the five suspects, being Molefe Mogatusi, Jeffery Molefe, Sihlule Mazilawa and George Arabang be arraigned before the courts while the hunt for the fifth suspect continues.
“The other suspect in the case has since disappeared into thin air and have decided to apply for a separation of trial for the remaining suspects,” Old Naledi police Station Commander Oagile Bolane revealed in an interview.
“The next mention of the case is expected next year where upon such communication will be relayed to the presiding magistrate,” Superintendent Bolane explained.
Mogatusi, Molefe, Mazilawa and Arabang were arrested following an armed robbery in which Township Rollers football club officials were relieved of P200, 000 gate takings as well as technological gadgets and accessories including cellphones amongst others.
The incident is alleged to have occurred in April 2017 when Rollers officials were accosted by the suspects while at the entrance of their CA Sales office following a match between the team and archrivals Mochudi Centre Chiefs.
The suspects were alleged to have ambushed the unsuspecting Rollers officials when they got off their private car at their office gate entrance before pouncing on them and making way with the loot and the car.
The car, which has since been identified as a Mercedes Benz was later found abandoned and the suspects were subsequently arrested following police investigations.
Nthole was however nowhere to be found and his girlfriend would later inform the police that he had possibly escaped to South Africa.
Investigation officer Inspector Elias Segokgo has since promised Extension II magistrate Ntombizodwa Ncube that legal processes will continue despite the 5th co-accused still at large as there were concrete formidable forensic tests obtained from the scenes connecting the accused persons.
A paltry P420 was discovered from Mogatusi ‘as evidence linking him to the alleged P200, 000 stolen monies,’ but Ncube discarded such proof saying it is flimsy and not credible.
“Anyone can possess such monies including the suspect at anytime of the day,” the magistrate said when dismissing the evidence.
