Man flogged for slapping supervisor

FREDERICK KEBADIRETSE
Staff Writer | Monday March 29, 2010 00:00

 

The Mogoditshane man pleaded with Chief Pheto Pilane to change the sentence to a fine, but this was rejected because fines are for people aged 40 years and above or those with health problems. The man was immediately taken aside to receive four strokes of the lash but there was a twist when his supervisor, a Chinese, expressed dissatisfaction that he did not wish the flogging to ascertain that his assailant was punished thoroughly. The Chinese said he wanted the man to be punished in front of him just to make sure he got what he deserved.

The Mogoditshane man is said to have slapped the Chinese national after an argument at the Central Business District. The two work for the Red East Construction company. The man admitted to hitting the complainant but did not want to plead guilty to the charge saying he was provoked.

He told the court how his supervisor insulted him in Setswana after he complained to him about a pay cut. 'He insulted me and that is when I slapped him. The only Setswana words he knows are insults,' he said to the amazement of the court as the complainant was using an interpreter because he could not speak Setswana or English. The man later pleaded guilty reluctantly after a long argument in court. The complainant, who had some lacerations on his cheek as a result of the slapping said the man slapped him after he asked him to scrub off some paint on the wall. The man apparently did not take lightly do this as he felt undermined to be asked to perform a labourer's work while he was hired as a painter. The supervisor said he did not see anything wrong with asking him to scrub off paint, as it is part of his job description.