Tonota Police slammed for 'protecting' defilers
correspondent | Saturday January 14, 2023 11:36
The phrase “From the frying pan into fire” aptly captures the situation a Botswana Defence Force (BDF) soldier based at the Area W Military Garrison currently finds himself in. When the military officer, Lesego Gaolathe, 44, left the barracks on Wednesday morning his mind was only occupied with the child maintenance issue that mother of his child had registered before the Francistown Magistrate Court. Little did he know that other serious allegations against him would surface.
Gaolathe denies that he is the father of the child and is demanding a paternity test to determine whether or not he is the biological father of the child.
However, things changed for the worst after the baby’s mother, now aged 18 informed the court that she conceived the child after the accused defiled her at some point in 2021 in Tonota.
By then the complainant was aged 16. She also told the court that Gaolathe raped her at a different time in Tonota also in 2021.
Following the harrowing revelations, Magetse asked the complainant whether the defilement and rape allegations were ever reported to the police.
The complainant, who cannot be named (for legal reasons and is waiting to enrol for Form 4 at Shashe River School), then told the court that the cases were reported at Shashe Bridge police post which falls under the jurisdiction of Tonota police station.
She added that she was not privy to why the allegations against Gaolathe were never brought to court for trial to confirm their veracity.
Magetse expressed concern that his court was inundated with reports of sexual offences that happen within the Tonota police station jurisdiction, but were never brought before court for trial. He called prosecutors from the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) to investigate or follow up why sexual offence cases are reported at Tonota Police Station, but some of them are never brought before court for trial.
Following the revelations, Magetse expressed concern that his court was inundated with reports of sexual offences that happen within the Tonota police station jurisdiction, but were never brought before court for trial.
“I make an order that the head of the CID at Tonota Police Station should appear in court during the next mention to explain how many cases of defilement and rape were reported at his station, but were never brought to court for trial during the last three years and the reasons thereof. The head of the CID should also inform the court how many defilement and rape cases were tried within the same period. All relevant stakeholders should be enlisted in these matter. The inaction of Tonota Police Station in relation to dealing with some defilement and rape cases is worrying,” he said.
Magetse then turned his attention to Gaolathe telling him that the situation has now changed and there was a possibility that he (Gaolathe) may be charged with defilement and rape because by the time the offences allegedly happened, the complainant was aged below 18. He appeared in court on January 13 for status update.
Gaolathe now faces the prospect of spending a minimum term of 20 years in jail for each of the offences or a cumulative 40 years in jail if he is convicted of both charges.