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Stolen Minister’s Car Suspects In Court |
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Ex Students in South Africa to Testify. Three men accused of stealing the Agriculture Minister’s car, valued at P414 000,
 allegedly sold to a Mozambican for R45 000, appeared before Village Magistrate Mareledi Dipate last week.
Ernest Tsiane, Kagiso Segola and Kesetse Gabotlhotshwe are accused of stealing; a Landcruiser station wagon from the Ministry’s parking lot on November 3 in 2005. It has not been recovered. They pled not guilty to the charges.
Allegations are that the suspects crossed into South Africa in the vehicle in the vehicle using false plate numbers, stayed in Pretoria for three days while still negotiating to sell the vehicle; the deal was done at the home of some Batswana students studying in South Africa and staying in Sunnyside, Pretoria.
Examined by the prosecutor, Ibrahim Leshomo, who works for the Ministry of Agriculture as a field worker, said he met Segola outside the office; later he met Kgasa Masoge, who also worked at the Ministry as a driver. Masoge asked him if he knew the other man and he answered in the negative. Masoge told him that the man’s name was Kagiso Segola, who “is a well known car thief.”
Masoge tried to see if Segola had walked towards where the Minister’s car was parked. He did not see him and they left for Glen valley. “When we got back we learnt that the Minister’s car had vanished,” he said.
Under cross examination by Segola’s defence attorney Mr. Basimane Bogopa, Masoge said he knew Segola well because they stay in the same area in Molepolole. “I didn’t know for a fact that Segola was involved in car theft. But I know him very well because we stay in the same ward in Molepolole,” Masoge told the court.
He told the court that when he arrived at the Ministry’s office he went straight to the van he usually drives, where he met Leshomo in the company of Segola.
“Leshomo told me to meet them at his car because he wanted to take something from it. I went to my van while Leshomo went to his car with Segola. Later I went round the building to meet Leshomo and this time he was alone. I asked him where Segola was and he told me that he had left him at the Minister’s car park,” said Masoge.
Masoge further told court that he had told Leshomo that he did not trust Segola as he was a well known car thief and warned Leshomo to keep an eye on him if went round to the Minister’s car park where even other staff members are not allowed to go.
“I warned him about this because I always saw Segola in the custody of the police in connection with stolen vehicles. I did not alert the security officers because I was in a hurry to take water to Glen Valley,” said Masoge.
The case continues this week and former Botswana students who had studied in South Africa are expected to testify.
BY KHONANI ONTEBETSE
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