Chinese Businessmen Attacked By Dangerous Criminals In Phakalane

SONNY SERITE

Three Chinese nationals have paid heavily for using their business premises as their homes when ruthless and hardened criminals poisoned and killed their dogs before gaining entry into the building and robbing them at gunpoint.  Directorate on Intelligence Services (DIS) and police officers reacted swiftly and arrested four suspects who, in the early hours of January 5, broke into the premises of Steel Galaxy at the Phakalane Industrial site and robbed three Chinese nationals of valuables that included cash and mobile phones.
Appearing before Broadhurst Magistrate Gaseitsewe Toniki yesterday (Monday) morning, the four accused persons, Samson Leatlame (37), Nonofo Ntsatsi (31), Innocent Moagi (37) and Oscar Ncube (35) had their request for bail quashed by the magistrate who concurred with the state prosecutor that the case was in its embryo stage and as such the suspects needed to be remanded in custody to allow investigations to go on without their interference.
The four men, three of them Batswana and one Zimbabwean, face a total of five charges.  The particulars of their offences as read out in court are that on January 5, acting together and in concert, stole from Steel Galaxy cash amounting to P20 000 and CCTV System. They are also accused of using violence to steal 2 cell phones valued at P6 000 and car keys from Zhang Fan. The accused persons also used violence to steal cash amounting to P12 000, 800 Chinese Yen and a cell phone valued at P3 000 from Yan Ding Fu. They further used violence to steal cash amounting to P500, Chinese wrist watch valued at P1500 and cell phone valued at P2500 from Wang Yu Cai. One of the Chinese businessmen is reportedly admitted at a private hospital in Gaborone with a broken leg. The last charge they face is that of cruelty to animals contrary to section 3 (d) of the Cruelty to Animals Act Cap 37;02 of the Laws of Botswana. It is alleged that the suspects administered a poisonous substance or drug to two dogs thereby killing them.
One of the suspects, Samson Leatame was already wanted by the Police after the court issued a warrant of arrest for another matter where he faces a case of murder after he allegedly killed his girlfriend. The warrant of arrest was issued last year , 9 November, by Principal Magistrate Goabaone Rammapudi who had ordered that Leatame be brought for mention on February 12, 2018 or as soon as he is arrested.
The Botswana Gazette has also established that one of the accused, Oscar Ncube, a Zimbabwean national, came to Botswana on 22 January 2016 using passport number EN827202 that belongs to a certain Luke Ndoro. Magistrate Toniki remanded the four accused men in custody and ordered that they return to court on January 22. One of the accused men told the court that he has a file at Boko Attorneys and as such he intends to engage the law firm to represent him. Only Ncube said he intends to defend himself and asked to be provided with Ndebele speaking translator. Outside court, Ncube tried to hurl a stone at photojournalists as he was being escorted to the police van but investigating Officer Detective Senior Superintendent Sergeant Marapo was quick to disarm him before he carried out his mission.