Bayport fraudster, accomplices ‘swindle’ woman of P269,000
L Police to lay more charges against accused
A Bayport Financial Services Botswana sales agent appeared in a jam-packed court on Friday to face a single count of obtaining by false pretences.
According to the charge sheet, the agent, Mauba Moreti (32) Morekolodi Moseki (28) and Michael Gabatshabe (23) acted together with a common purpose by false pretences and with intent to defraud. The trio obtained P269,000 from Bridget Thobolo by falsely presenting themselves as people capable of multiplying money when in fact and truth knew that to be false. The accused allegedly committed the offence on February 3 in Francistown.
When the accused appeared before Magistrate Tshepo Magetse for a status hearing, the investigating officer, Detective Inspector Bongwe Amogelang told the court that the accused should be further remanded in custody because the charge sheet would be amended.
“We intend to lay more related charges against the accused in future and as such we pray that the accused should be further remanded in custody. We are also in the process of going to Gaborone to search Moseki’s house,” Amogelang said.
Magetse previously denied the accused bail on account that the money they allegedly obtained fraudulently was a substantial amount.
The magistrate added that since the prosecution has intimated that it will lay more charges against the accused, it was in the best interest of society and prosecution to remand the accused in jail because there are reasonable suspicions that they may commit more offences whilst granted bail.
In court, murmurs from people in attendance also indicated that they have also been defrauded by some of the accused persons.
In fact, on February 21, the Botswana Police Service (BPS) released a picture of Moseki on their Facebook page, informing the public that any person with information about his whereabouts should contact the Francistown Police Station or the nearest police station.
The accused are due in court on April 13 for another status update.