Woman escapes marriage wrecking charge
Tumelo Mouwane | Wednesday March 4, 2015 11:53
Appearing before Deputy Court President, Oageng Mosola last week, Ditlhaloso Ditsela (53) of Seleka village accused Dikeleko Semata (40) of Gaborone West of causing havoc in her marriage by having an affair with her (Ditsela’s) husband.
Ditlhaloso informed the court that she had been married to her husband, Keitumetse Ditsela for the past 20 years. “I found out that my husband has a girlfriend in Gaborone. He is very close to the accused but he swears they’re just friends. I’m worried. He adores her, he spends every spare minute with her and when they’re not together, I know he’s thinking of her,” said Ditlhaloso.
She accused her husband of having a child out of wedlock with Dikeleko.
“My husband’s younger brother told me that he once visited Keitumetse sometime ago at the accused house. He told me Dikeleko’s child came to my husband and called him father.
“The child looks exactly like my husband. I also once found my husband resting at Dikeleko’s house. I only want my husband to provide the court with legitimate information,” Ditlhaloso lamented.
The first witness, Kebakwe Ditsela who is a brother to the plaintiff’s husband, said his brother is legally married to Ditlhaloso and a bride price was paid in this regard. “My brother is not married to the accused and he has never told me about her.
“I know about an incident involving a bed that Ditlhaloso believed Keitumetse bought for the accused.
“The bed was once confiscated from the accused’s house in Gaborone and sent to the home village,” he said in relating his knowledge of the matter. Kebakwe further said he had advised his brother about instability in his home and Keitumetse had said he would work things out.
“My brother is a very nomadic person. Once you see where he stays, he moves from the house immediately,” Kebakwe lamented.
When giving her account the accused said she first knew Keitumetse in 2000 but they became close friends in 2009 when she started doing laundry for him for a fee.
“He told me that his wife passed away a long time ago and I never bothered to dwell much into the issue. “He never proposed me. I just treat him like an uncle. He is always there for me when I have stress and he always gives me advice and vice versa, ” Dikeleko said.
For his part, the husband admitted “resting” at the accused’s house once, but denied having a relationship with her. Keitumetse said Dikeleko was only there to “help him” from “things my wife is absconding from”.
“Ask her when the last time was that she took responsibility as a woman who takes care of her husband. “I have never slept with the accused and the only thing that brings us together is the laundry that she does for me. I don’t have a loving wife to do so. I also don’t have a child with the accused,” said Keitumetse.
The deputy Court President dismissed the matter, saying there was insufficient evidence to support the charge. He further advised the couple to sit down and resolve their family problems.