Murder accused, rape convict decries mistreatment
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday February 4, 2025 08:38
The former Kgaphamadi resident is awaiting trial at the High Court for murder charge. Keganeditse and his co-accused, Moabi Morwalela, 26, are awaiting trial for the murder of 74-year-old Grace Keakantse in Area W in November 2018. Following the gruesome murder incident whilst out on bail on Christmas Eve 2020, Keganeditse raped a woman in Kgaphamadi location and was later sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.
When appearing before Chief Magistrate Game Mooketsi on Tuesday, Keganeditse, who is applying for bail pending appeal told the Magistrate that following the short court session on Monday, he was given all the paperwork pertaining to his bail awaiting appeal. Everything was well, he claimed, until he arrived at the prison facility and requested for food. He continued: 'I even went to sleep without eating because I was denied food. One of the officers had threatened to poison me because I was tiring.” Keganeditse further said he was beaten by some prison officers and forced to sleep on a wet floor. Additionally, he indicated that one of the officers who assaulted him had accused him of killing his aunt, but I had no idea what he was talking about.
Keganeditse showed the magistrate some of his bruises by taking off his clothes in the courtroom. He added that he tried to inform his mother about the cruel treatment and threats, but he was not allowed to phone her or visit a medical official for consultation. He added that his mother has repeatedly complained to the commissioner about the mistreatment he has been subjected to at the Francistown State Prison. “I therefore plead with you my worship to transfer me to Mahalapye Prison because I was there previously and did not experience any mistreatment during my tenure there,” he added.
He also pleaded with the magistrate to order the prison officer to take him for a medical examination after the court session. After then, the Chief Magistrate gave the order for Keganeditse to be taken to a medical facility and subsequently moved to Mahalapye prison. Keganeditse will be back in court on February 25, 2025. In 2021, the notorious Keganeditse ‘assaulted’ a Botswana Daily News journalist, Goweditswe Kome, when he appeared for mention. He allegedly broke Kome’s camera into pieces at the Francistown Magistrate’s Court.