Zim accused ‘murderer’ in Bots prison for 5 years

By The Standard | Dec. 12, 2017 | 2 Min read

THE case in which a Zimbabwean, Taku Gandari is standing trial for the murder of his wife Omphile Gandari faces further delays after Gaborone High Court Judge Godfrey Radijeng postponed it to 2018.

Mmegi

The trial in the long-dragging murder case was set to commence yesterday. However, Justice Radijeng, who was presiding over the matter for the first time, rescheduled it to April 26, 2018 for status update.

Gandari is accused of the murder of his wife whom he stayed with together their three children at Maipei ward in Mmopane in March 8, 2013. He has been in custody since his arrest five years ago because his residence permit had expired after his arrest, which negated his application for bail. The case was previously presided over by former acting Justice Boipuso Tshweneyagae, whose contract has not been renewed after it expired last month.

The matter was heard yesterday in absentia of the accused’s lawyer Boingotlo Toteng who arrived late in court. “The case was set for trial today and tomorrow (December 6 and 7), but it is postponed to April 26, 2018 for status update,” said Justice Radijeng. Meanwhile, the accused has maintained that he be allowed to use Setswana instead of his native Shona language.

He told the court that he was comfortable with the use of Setswana when the court initially failed to secure the services of a Shona interpreter. At some point during a previous appearance, the court brought in a Shona interpreter, but the move did not settle well with Gandari.

Although he spoke Shona to the interpreter, Gandari at the end of the sitting requested the court to allow him to use Setswana when the trial begins on December 6, 2017.

A builder by profession, it is said that the accused and his wife had an argument leading to an altercation, which resulted in her death. It is said that he has built many houses in Mmopane where he was well-known and held in high esteem.