Court Convicts 21-Year-Old For Raping 60-Year-Old
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Monday July 27, 2020 17:27
According to the charge sheet read in court, Gaboipewe raped the woman on April 5, 2018 at Japane settlements near Borolong village.
Documents read in court indicate that Gaboipewe met the victim, grabbed and dragged her by the neck to a nearby bush before raping her.
Moments after the incident the victim is said to have pleaded with the assailant to take him to a place where she could purchase a cigarette to which Gaboipewe obliged.
Upon arriving at a compound where cigarettes were being sold, Gaboipewe remained at the entrance and the complainant went in.
The victim woman is said to have immediately alerted people in the yard that she has been raped and the police were ultimately called to intervene.
Gaboipewe’s bail was revoked immediately after his conviction. He will be back in court for mitigation and sentencing on August 20, 2020.
Meanwhile on Friday, Francistown Magistrate Lebakeng Cele discharged and acquitted Gubungano Chabaesele, 63, who was facing a threat-to-kill charge. He had allegedly threatened his spouse, Sthembile Chabaesele.
Cele said the complainant failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that her life was indeed threatened by her spouse.
Earlier on, Sthembile had told the court that her husband threatened to kill her after he found a dug up hole filled with water near the entrance of their home in Mandunyane.
Sthembile said her husband told her that he was angry because of circulating rumours alleging that his wife had brought a traditional healer into their home while he was away.
She said that her husband chased her around the yard uttering: “Ke tsile go go heleletsa tsatsi jeno! (I am going to finish you today).”
In his defence during cross-examination, the 63-year-old man denied ever using any threatening words towards his wife.
The defendant also dismissed his wife’s allegations that he chased her, indicating that she knew very well that he has a series of health problems and is not capable of running after her.
He also asked his wife if he was holding anything, which could have instilled fear in her on the day of the incident.
Sthembile responded by saying that he was not holding anything, but his [alleged] words made her flee from him until she ran into the defendant’s niece who then intervened in the matter.