Beaten To A Pulp

Lebogang Baingapi | Monday February 8, 2016 15:59

Relating his ordeal to Monitor, the 32-year-old from Digawana struggled to talk due to a painful throat. he was also nursing a broken nose, and had injuries on the waist and arm.

Tsimako said as they were drinking at Unit Two, he was approached by four men who suddenly accused him of stealing a phone belonging to one of them.

“I told them I never saw a phone but one of them insisted that I stole it before they loaded me in a vehicle to Unit One”, he said.

When they arrived in Unit One, Tsimako suggested that they report the matter to the police, but two of the four men drove with him to the bush near Unit Eight and took off his t-shirt while he attempted to run away. He said the duo started to assault him with sticks, fists, kicks and stones before they tied his legs and hands to a tree. He said they also yanked off his belt and simulteneously used it with another red belt to choked him and then fastened his neck to a tree stem.

“I kept on confessing that I never stole the phone but they continued assaulting me. They also removed my socks and shoved them into my mouth and then wrapped the mouth with a cloth,” he continued.

He said as he was lying down, they poured soil into his ears and continued to assault him until he lost a lot blood. Tsimako further said one of them came with a rock to crush his head, but fortunately he managed to dodge it. They left him unconscious in a bush where there was no footprint or a sign that people might pass by. He managed to free himself from the tree and also untied his mouth,  but  he hopped for a long distance with his feet and hands still tied.

When he was near the road, he screamed and one couple stopped to assist and take him to the police station. He said he was assaulted between 11am and midday but he was only discovered by the couple at about 4pm.

Tsimako was taken to the hospital and the suspects were arrested and confessed that indeed they assaulted him. He is currently nursing his injuries and lives on liquid foods due to throat pains.  He also indicated that he experienced waist pains when urinating.

“My left hand is also broken and is not working properly. My friends assist me with my customers and then we share the money,” said Tsimako who is a barber. “At night I don’t even sleep, the body pains are unbearable and I just want justice to prevail because now I feel like am disabled.”

Assistant Superintendent Jimmy Selema of Jwaneng police confirmed the incident, stating that they have since arrested four suspects. He said the suspects are aged between 27 and 39 and they were released from custody awaiting their court mention. Selema said police were waiting for the recovery of the complainant before they could register the matter in court.