Alleged Davids killers deny guilt
Two men accused of killing former Member of Parliament (MP) for Mochudi East, Isaac Davids, pleaded not guilty before Gaborone High Court Judge, Michael Leburu Wednesday. This is despite an initial intention by one of the accused to plead guilty to the murder that shocked the nation back in January 2018.
Mokgalemi Maleya, who is second accused in the matter had informed Court previously that he intended to tender a guilty plea. “Yesterday, I indicated to the Court with regard to the nature of the plea the second accused shall be tendering,” Maleya’s attorney, Opeyemi Ajayi told Leburu. “The second accused wants to plead guilty. I received statements of facts from the prosecution, which I’m still going through. I have not been able to put the same to the second accused. We need time to do the needful and decide on the plea we want to tender.” However, when appearing briefly in Court on Wednesday, Maleya somersaulted on his initial intention and tendered a not guilty plea.
Attorney Ajayi confirmed to the Court that the plea tendered by the second accused was in accordance with his instructions. His fellow accused Zimbabwean Jabulani Dube, who is facing another charge of damaging the windscreen of Davids’ car also pleaded not guilty to both charges. Meanwhile, the court heard that the first accused has admitted six witnesses while the second accused has admitted nine with the prosecution reserving the right to call those witnesses to five oral testimony in Court. The prosecution said it would call 15 witnesses before it closes its case. “Due to this turn of events, we should set trial dates. We would need additional days for trial,” said State prosecutor, Thato Dibeela.
The Court has set commencement of trial for November 10, 2020. From there, trial will continue from July 12 to 16 2021. Maleya and Dube are accused of brutally stabbing Davids to death in 2018 at a farm at Sorilatholo following a fight between him and two of his herd-boys. At the time of his untimely death, the vocal, abrasive, and at times controversial MP, was a Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) member after returning to Parliament via an Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) ticket in 2014. Maleya is currently out on bail while his co-accused, Dube is remanded in custody.