Doctor says deceased died of head injuries

Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Tuesday March 14, 2017 15:59

 

Five men, who are all residents of Oodi in Kgatleng District, are standing trial for allegedly murdering Ramapulane and assaulting Chinese national Liu Jian Hui, on the night of August 28, 2013 at Gaborone North Farms. On the day, the former Security Systems night watchman was guarding the property at the residence.

The accused standing trial is Lebang Thabo Ntesi, Phemelo Tshelang, Gorata Sebego, Patrick Gaile and Mpho Mangwa. In the course of their action, the accused also robbed their victims some property some of which were later recovered by the police including laptop and P15 280 cash.

When giving evidence Monday before Chief Justice Maruping Dibotelo at the Gaborone High Court, the Forensic Pathologist who has worked at PMH since 1997 said he examined the body of the deceased on September 4, 2013 at the request of the police. He said that this was after the deceased’s sister Dorcas Thebe identified the body.

He said that the deceased had external injuries on the body that included burns on the forehead, left chick and ear, which affected the outer layer of the skin.

The doctor led by state prosecutor Farayi Mahwite elaborated that the external burns could have been caused by flame or hot liquid splashed on the body. He further said that he observed that the deceased had fractures on the skull and ribs. He also said that liquids had collected in the lungs while the splin had shrunk and wrinkled.

“After performing the post mortem on the body of the deceased my conclusion was that the deceased died of head injuries,” he said.

However, during cross-examining doctor by one of the defense lawyers Wema Isa, the doctor said that without head injuries the burns could not cause death and would have healed.

Isa had put it to the witness that it is possible that the death of Ramapulane could be shock since extensive burns can cause shock. 

“Its possible that severe and extensive burns can cause shock but at least 40% of the body surface should be affected. Here the affected part could be 10% so the burns could not cause death. They were epidermis burns that would heal.”

The case continued with the state calling in two other witnesses, Dr Lebogang Ogone Mokotedi who is a Principal Medical Officer at the Accident and Emergency Unit at PMH and Boitshepo Bojosi who worked as Forensic Scientist at Police Forensic Laboratory in Gaborone.

All the accused are on bail except first accused, Ntesi, who is in custody for a different offence.