Soldier lashed for beating lover

Tumelo Mouwane | Tuesday February 17, 2015 17:06

According to the particulars of the case, the soldier’s girlfriend went to visit Bakilo at the barracks on Sunday evening to check on the couple’s two children. “He complained that the children had to be given better care.

I asked if it would not be better if I took the children, to give them the care they needed. “He said to be given assistance by the army, the children would have to change their surnames to his. We had an argument on the matter and he began assaulting me,” testified the complainant.  

Bakilo admitted to the offence, following which Court chief, Tshwina Mochudi found him guilty and gave him the options of going to jail, receiving a fine, or being lashed. Bakilo said going to jail would affect his job, indicating that he preferred a whipping.

Meanwhile, a 35-year-old man received four lashes of the whip for stealing two litres of paint thinners from his workplace. Mogoditshane Customary Court president, Basiang Dihutso, heard that Jacob Dihempe was caught in possession of paint thinners when leaving his work premises last week. Dihempe however argued that the company’s managing director had granted him permission to take the liquids. “I took it with my manager’s consent. We had an agreement that I could take the thinners along with me when I clocked off. I’m now left speechless when he says we had no agreement on such,” said Dihempe. 

Witnesses however said the managing director had denied Dihempe permission to take the thinners. Delivering judgment, Basiang said Dihempe was evidently unable to provide evidence to contradict the witnesses or support his own assertions.