Family Warned Deceased Against 'Murderous' Boyfriend
Pini Bothoko | Monday September 9, 2019 11:30
The deceased’s brother Robert Mack and sister Alakanani Matata, say they tried to warn Matata after finding out that they were romantically involved, but ended up accepting their relationship as true love.
Last Tuesday night, Scotch allegedly murdered Ookeditse at her rented house at Kumakwane and later attempted suicide in Gabane. Scotch is alleged to have stabbed the deceased with a sharp object in front of her 13-year-old son.
The deceased was rushed to Thamaga Primary Hospital where she was certified dead by doctors upon arrival.
Following the death of his girlfriend, Scotch left for Gabane where members of the public alerted the police after realising his plan to commit suicide. The police say before the Kumakwane incident, Scotch was already a convict for the murders of his previous girlfriend and her uncle years ago in Mahalapye.
The deceased’s family told The Monitor that after finding out that the duo was in a romantic relationship, they freaked out and tried to warn the deceased to end their affair, but their efforts bore no fruit.
“We originate from Gulubane village together with Scotch and their yard is not far from ours. We know each other very well and if I recall it was back in 2013 or 2014 when I found out that they were in a romantic relationship,” explained Alakanani.
“I freaked out and confronted my sister warning her over the (doomed) relationship. I am an open person, I even told Scotch how uncomfortable I was with him dating my younger sister.”
Alakanani further revealed that there was a time when Scotch phoned her and she told him that ‘as a family’ they were aware of ‘his previous murder convictions’ hence their discomfort with him dating their sister.
“Ke ne ka mmolelela gore ga rea gololesega ka lerato la bone ka gore o ntse ale ko toronkong le melato e a neng ae lebisitswe re a e itse” and he said to me “Ah tota my sister ke ne ke dirisitswe seo ke mabaka a nako eo and he insisted on visiting me in Kanye where I reside to have a chat with me over the matter and I refused,” she narrated.
She said when the couple had their three-year-old boy, the family accepted the relationship even though they were not comfortable with it.
“Even though we were still uncomfortable with Scotch, we thought since they had a child it must be love,” she said.
Alakanani described her sister, the mother of three, as a quiet and reserved person, explaining that it was not easy for her to share or disclose her relationship disputes.
“There are a number of instances where as a family we would discover that they had a misunderstanding after they already resolved it,” said Alakanani.
“I remember there is a time she told me that Scotch told her it was over between them and I told her to let go if he is no longer interested. However, later on, I was shocked to see them together.”
She said the whole family was traumatised over what transpired, but stressed
a need for them to take the deceased’s 13-year-old son for counselling, since he helplessly watched his mother being violently murdered.
“The teenage boy is traumatised, he witnessed his mother being beaten and kicked until she collapsed. As if that was not enough Scotch also took out a knife and butchered his mother whilst watching. This is a traumatising thing ever to have been witnessed by a child,” said Alakanani.
Sharing the same sentiments, Mack said the murder incident shocked them because they had thought Scotch had learnt a lesson from being a convict of similar offences. Mack said the family has identified the deceased and discovered that she had multiple stab wounds and bruises all over her body, which shows that she was beaten up, prior to being stabbed.
Scotch was released from Thamaga Primary Hospital on Thursday where he was hospitalised for injuries he sustained while trying to commit suicide and was arraigned before Molepolole Magistrate’s Court on two counts, of murder and attempted suicide.
Ookeditse will be laid to rest in Gulubane on Saturday.