The Voice (Francistown)
Chenjelani Baraedi
25 March 2008
Francistown — A habitual criminal who allegedly threatened to kill his girl friend while on bail was thrown behind bars by a Francistown Magistrate on Tuesday this week.Twenty-seven-year-old David Mosweu's bail application was dismissed after the prosecution expressed fear that the accused might commit more offences once he is set free. Grace Garebamono from the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) told the court that Mosweu was facing two other criminal charges which were committed while the accused was on bail.
"It is very difficult to trust the accused since he committed more offences while on bail for a charge of murder," Garebamono said.
The officer revealed that Mosweu was also wanted by Selibe Phikwe police on a charge of obtaining by false pretence.
"The accused person is on the wanted list by the police in Selibe Phikwe and a warrant of arrest was issued. I don't think it would be in the interest of justice to grant him bail," she said, adding that murder was somehow related to the threat to kill charge.
Mosweu, however, argued that it would not be fair for the court to remand him in custody just because he was a suspect.
"I am a mere suspect and it would be unjust to lock me up before proving that I actual committed the said offences," Mosweu said. "Even the complainant in the threat to kill charge has promised to withdraw the case."
The accused who claims to be running a money laundering business also revealed that keeping him behind bars would greatly dent his future since he is likely to lose all his property that is currently locked up in a rented house in Phikwe. He also pointed out that his family was bound to suffer if the court continued to keep him behind bars since he was the sole breadwinner.
Magistrate Peggy Madandume, however, ordered that the accused be further remanded behind bars since he had proved that he couldn't be trusted. He pointed out that people of Mosweu's character are hard to trust.
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