Lovemore Sithole, the man accused of murdering eight-year-old Tlotso Karema, will soon appear for trial in the case which sent the whole country into shock-waves in 2022. Sithole appeared before the Gaborone High Court yesterday where his case was committed for trial and now awaits the case management report to be wrapped up.

The case management report is a system used by the courts to manage the progress of cases from the time they are registered until the Court disposes them. After the case was committed for trial this week, Counsel Ambrose Mobika who appeared for the State as the lead prosecutor apprised the court that another date be set for status hearing where the case management report shall be read in court. “We are proposing another date to be set for status hearing and we feel that two weeks shall be sufficient to complete by then,” Mobika said.

Meanwhile, Keorapele Sambere who is representing the murder accused stated that he will ensure that he has the case management report in time for the next status hearing. “I should be able to have the report ready in two weeks as it has been requested,” he said.

Sambere told the court that he will serve Mobika with the case management report on October 20 before the status hearing.

Justice Gabriel Komboni, who is now presiding over the case after hearing from both sides set a date for the next status hearing.

“The matter is set down for case management report reading on November 13, 2023,” Judge Komboni said. It is earmarked that the trial date will be set after the status hearing on November 13.

Sithole faces a single count of murder where he is said to have killed Karema. The boy’s disappearance sparked protests across the country as citizens were moved by the tragedy that had transpired. Months later, Karema’s body was found along the Kanye road after police received a tip off.

Though the body remains were tested and proved to be of Karema, it was a bitter pill to swallow for his family as it took them a while to believe that the remains were of their beloved son.

A handful of arrests were made during the investigations. Former Minister of Finance, Dr Thapelo Matsheka was one of the people arrested by the Botswana Police Service (BPS) and Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS). Matsheka is now suing the DIS for P10 million for the ‘unlawful’ arrest.

After a couple of arrests were made, it all boiled down to Sithole, who was the main suspect and was the last person to be seen with the child. Sithole was formally charged with the murder of Karema alone.

A year down the line after court appearances in the Lobatse Magistrate’s Court and High Court occasionally, the case is now ready for trial.