Two Zimbabwean nationals arraigned before Lobatse High Court judge Gabriel Rwelengera, in a case involving the robbing and killing of an Indian citizen, received varying sentences.
Rwelengera sentenced Abel Nyasha to 17 years for robbery and 10 years for manslaughter, the sentences running concurrently, but acquitted his alleged accomplice Hluphekile Dube of the murder and found her guilty of robbery. Dube received 10 years for robbing the deceased Indian national, Sharom Patel, who she worked for as a maid.
Reading the sentence, Rwelengera said there was no evidence of the two accused acting in collusion when committing the crime. He said the state had failed to prove that two accused persons planned to kill the deceased; the evidence before court was that their sole intention was to rob him.
Dan Ngoma, who was initially charged with Nyasha and Dube, walked out of the court after he turned state witness and testified against the two.
Reports from Gaborone Maximum Prison where Nyasa is being held are that he intends to appeal against both sentence and conviction.
Referred to at the start of the trial as “a difficult” client, on account of his firing of four lawyers the state had chosen to defend him, Nyasha finally asked for Gaborone lawyer, Dick Bayford, to represent him as the case continued.
Dube, on the other hand, was represented by Diba Diba, whilst the prosecuting lawyer was Ambrose Mubikwa of the Directorate of Public Prosecution.
