NO FREEDOM IN SIGHT FOR SUSPECTED MOTHER-IN-LAW KILLER
SEVEN months after the brutal murder of his 60-year-old mother-in-law and his sevenyear-old stepson, the 28-yearold alleged murderer is still languishing in Maun State Prison with the hope to be released out on bail.
Appearing before Maun Magistrates’ Court last week, Nelson Dibebe, who allegedly hacked the mother of his estranged wife to death with an axe, pleaded with the court to grant him an opportunity to await trial at home.
“I know that this court has denied me bail before, but I still do believe that it still has a discretion to grant me bail,” said Dibebe.
Meanwhile the prosecutor, Dimpho Motseonageng has told the court that investigations were still incomplete and that prosecution was in the process of committing the matter to the High court for trial.
“Investigations are still incomplete, we are still waiting for the statement of the investigating officer and other witnesses. The matter is yet to be committed to the high court” said Motseonangeng.
Dibebe was initially denied bail back in March after his family and his wife family wrote a joint letter to the Maun Station Commander seeking that he be remanded in custody as they feared he might cause more harm.
When opposing the bail application in March, the investigating officer, Keotshwaretse Molatlhegi, told the court that they feared that if released on bail, Nelson Dibebe would kill his wife.
“He is accused of killing his mother- in-law and stepson, the deceased persons were not his primary targets. He wanted to kill his wife, Shirley Dibebe,” said Molatlhegi.
According to Molatlhegi, the murder incident occurred after a misunderstanding he had with his
wife, which was scheduled to be heard in court two weeks before the incident.
“He was issued with a restraining order on January 22nd to stay away from his wife but he still followed her to her place,” revealed Molatlhegi.
It is alleged that Dibebe arrived at his mother-in-law’s house at Matlapana ward in the early hours of the morning looking for his wife, Shirley Dibebe.
When he arrived, he found the old woman sleeping with the young boy. It is alleged that he got furious as he always accused the old woman of encouraging her daughter‘s promiscuous behaviour and therefore hit her on the head with an axe.
After hacking the old woman’s head, he reportedly dragged the young boy to the gate where he chopped him with the same axe and fled the scene.
Dibebe was later arrested at a friend’s place a few hours later and has been in police custody since his arrest. He will appear before court again on October 10th for status update.