Motswana student in Australian jail for stabbing fiancee

Staff Writer | Thursday August 26, 2010 00:00

Marshall Kuda Mahube, 23, who appeared before Wollongong Local Court allegedly told police he'd had a bad day on Monday because his girlfriend had phoned him several times at the University of Wollongong to check on him.

During the alleged assault, police say the commerce student called his fiance a 'fat bitch', hit her in the face and then stabbed her twice in the back and four times in the legs with a pair of scissors at his flat. 

Mahube was arrested on Monday night and was refused bail on Tuesday because of the seriousness of the allegations. According to the reports he entered no pleas to charges of reckless wounding and common assault.

Police said Mahube's fiance had picked him up from university about 5.30pm and the unprovoked stabbing occurred shortly after they arrived at his home. Mahube's fiance allegedly grabbed a pillow to protect herself and escaped to a friend's house before she was taken to Wollongong Hospital where she underwent surgery on her shoulder.

Police said during their interview with Mahube, he said he had had a bad day at university 'due to the victim ringing him a number of times to check up on him as he had been unfaithful in the past'.

He also allegedly said he was upset because his room had mould in it and an argument erupted when he ordered his fiancee to clean it up.

Mahube said he feigned the stabbing to scare his fiancee and he tried to restrain her on the bed but he accidentally stabbed her twice, police said. 'When questioned further about photos taken of the wounds, he said he could have stabbed her six times as depicted in the photos.'

Prosecutor Robert Casey opposed bail saying Mahube, whose family still live in Botswana, was a flight risk. Angela Melouney, lawyer for Mahube said her client had been in Wollongong for four years undergoing a range of studies and was in his first year of a commerce degree.

She said this was the first time he had been before the court and he had strong ties with the African community in Wollongong.

Magistrate Les Mabbutt remanded Mahube in custody until August 31 when he is due to appear again via video link.

However officials at the Ministry of Education in Botswana said they were not aware of the case and would have to check with the Australian education attache about the matter.