Isaiah Morewagae
13 January 2009
In a desperate attempt to clear his name, Russian rape suspect Serguei Pastouchenko, has dragged Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (SSKA) Station commander Superintendent King Tshebo into his case.
In his evidence-in-chief at the Broadhurst Magistrate Court on Friday afternoon, Pastouchenko told the court that Supt Tshebo held a short meeting with his parents at the police station during which the SSKA station chief wanted to pressurise Pastouchenko's family into settling the matter financially. He said his parents came to the police station because he was detained at the said station.
The accused further told the court that the station commander was abusive to his parents when the police came looking for him. However, the prosecution warned that Pastouchenko should bear the consequences of his allegations. Prosecutor Priscilla Israel warned that most of Pastouchenko's allegations amounted to defamation of character.
Israel said the witness and his counsel should be aware of the law of defamation because of the allegations that the witness was making.
Pastouchenko was called to the witnesses box to defend himself after presiding magistrate Gaseitsewe Tonoki ruled that the state had successfully established that he had a case to answer.
At the close of the case on Friday afternoon, the defence lawyer Edward Luke II Fashiole told the court that they would be calling 15 witnesses. "We will see if we can trim the number down and move the case to finality", Luke said.
The case has been adjourned to Friday and Saturday for continued hearing.
Pastouchenko is alleged to have raped a nine-year-old girl and daughter of his former girlfriend in Block 8 on January 10 last year.
Pastouchenko has denied any knowledge of the child or its mother. He was previously charged together with the mother of the child but charges against her were later dropped.
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