MAGISTRATE ORDERS POLICE TO SOLVE MISSING MONEY CASE

Maun Magistrate Court on Tuesday declined the State’s application to withdraw a case of P247 000.00 that went missing under the watch of four bouncers in 2019.

The money was proceeds of ticket sales at a New Year’s Eve gig where the four suspects; Bahithi Matengu, 30, Kagiso Ngaka, 36, Tshepo Seakanyeng, 34, and Gabert Ramokgalo, 39, were hired as bouncers. The State, through Inspector Paul Basupi, had made an application to withdraw the matter with liberty to reinstate.

“The investigations have not yet been completed and there is no update different from the one in the previous mention. There is no progress in the matter, we therefore pray that the matter be withdrawn before the court with liberty to reinstate,” Basupi pleaded.

For his part, Matengu asked the court to give them back the money that was taken from them on the day of their arrest and kept as exhibit.

“We pray that our money be given back to us, we run a small business, which, just like other businesses, has been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, we need the money back to keep our business afloat,” Matengu said.

Responding to their plea, Basupi stated that despite the application to withdraw the matter, it has not yet been established where the accused quartet got the money from, and the money forms part of police investigations, which will continue outside court.

Magistrate Gaone Bagopi dismissed the State’s application to withdraw the matter and instead gave the prosecution a task to complete investigations in two months before the case can be dismissed and the four accused refunded their money.

The next date of court appearance was set for September 22nd for status update.