‘Scar Face’ insult ends in murder
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday November 12, 2025 06:00
Justice Zeinub Kebonang of the Gaborone High Court has last week convicted Dikalelo Mphakelwa (1st accused) of murdering a man known as States, while Kesego Kentshitswe (2nd accused) was acquitted of the same charge.
The court found that the fatal assault stemmed from the deceased’s remark referring to Mphakelwa as “scar face”, a comment the judge described as “an insult that was to have very grave consequences”.
According to the judgment, the incident followed a dispute dating back to late 2011 when the deceased had used Kentshitswe’s vehicle under the pretext of buying food, only to disappear for hours and later used the car to transport stolen goats to Hatsalatladi.
The goats were later linked to a theft case, and the police confiscated Kentshitswe’s car as an exhibit, leaving him entangled in the crime.
“States, the deceased, was not a good friend. He was a wolf in sheep’s skin,” the judge remarked in the ruling. Feeling betrayed, Kentshitswe confided in Mphakelwa, who suggested that they “discipline” the deceased, and Kentshitswe rejected the idea.
The judgment further stated that on a day in February 2012, the accused confronted the deceased at the Ten Ten shopping complex in Molepolole. When questioned about the goat incident, the deceased reportedly told Mphakelwa to “piss off” and called him “scar face”.
'The insult registered with the 1st accused and remained lingering until the next day,” the judge said. The following day, Mphakelwa confronted the deceased again at Kentshitswe’s home. Rage boiled over, and Mphakelwa assaulted him with a metal tube, first on the back, then on the stomach.
Kentshitswe testified that he only saw the second blow and intervened, pleading with Mphakelwa to stop. They later attempted to drive the injured man to the hospital, but he died on the way. Instead of reporting the matter, the men dumped the body in the Mangenyane River, where it was discovered by passers-by.
A key aspect of the trial was the conflicting accounts of who strangled the deceased. The investigating officer initially claimed Kentshitswe strangled the victim in the car. However, both accused later said Mphakelwa sat at the back with the deceased while Kentshitswe drove.
Justice Kebonang said he found Mphakelwa’s unsworn testimony “self-serving” and likened him to Judas Iscariot, saying he attempted to shift blame to his co-accused. Kentshitswe, who testified under oath, was described as “terrified and fragile,” but credible.
“I am convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the 2nd accused’s version of events is true,” the judge said. Although the State argued that the men shared a common purpose to murder, the court dismissed the argument, emphasising that Kentshitswe neither agreed to nor participated in the assault.
“What the 2nd accused is guilty of is not reporting the deceased’s death, agreeing to dump the body, and concealing the vehicle. But he was not charged with those offences,” Kebonang ruled. At the end, Kebonang found Mphakelwa guilty of murder and acquitted Kentshitswe. Sentencing for Mphakelwa will be delivered at a later stage.