KOPONG MURDER SUSPECT ACCUSED OF INTERFERING WITH INVESTIGATIONS
The husband of a woman who was brutally murdered last year in Kopong, Outwlile Aston, has been accused of interfering with police investigations.
Aston is a part of a four-gang member (three men and a woman) suspected to have acted together with a common purpose to kill Barulaganye Aston, who was a teacher in Kopong, in July last year.
Three of the suspects - Oageng Moagi Letsholo (46), Leufty Gaolemogwe Kosie (47), Outlwile Aston (48) - are still remanded in custody while the woman, Kebaleboge Ntsebe (42), who is a traditional doctor, is out on bail.
This week, the Investigating Officer, Inspector Quiet Jelamoto, told the court that Aston’s cousin, Phillip Molwantwa, called Aston’s 12-year-old daughter, who is a key witness and asked if Aston was there when her mother was killed. He said Molwantwa also demanded to know Thato and her siblings’ current place of abode and if she had ever visited her father in prison.
“Outlwile is not a suitable candidate for bail as we suspect he is the one who sent Molwantwa to call the state witness. She is a minor and needs protection under the Children’s Act. We are also investigating an incident where Molwantwa said he received a call from an anonymous person asking him to check how much money was in Aston’s bank. The caller asked
where Aston’s children stay and wanted to meet Molwantwa at Main Mall, but he refused to go there,” said Jelamoto.
Aston’s attorney, Obonye Jonas, said Jelamoto has failed to prove allegations levelled against his client. The attorney further argued that his client did not have a list of state witnesses and therefore would not have known if his son, Thato, is a witness or not.
The fourth accused person, Ntsebe, asked Magistrate Jobbie Moilatshimo to remove one of her bail conditions of reporting at Mogoditshane police fortnightly because it was costly.
Magistrate Moilatshimo said the only thing that can be done is for her to report at Metsimotlhabe police since it is in the policing area she resides. She ordered that the other three accused persons be further remanded in custody. Bail ruling for Aston and Kosie will be delivered on the 6th of February.