Girlfriend assault earns man two years in jail

BONTE SEEPI
Correspondent | Tuesday June 4, 2013 00:00

Kagisano Matlho, a security guard, was found guilty of hitting his girlfriend, Matshediso Motebelwa, with a car shock absorber on September 4, 2011 at Maipaafela, Francistown. Matlho hit his girlfriend with the shock absorber all over her body,  causing the  fracture of her left hand.Before delivering the sentence, the magistrate said he had considered various factors, including the fact that Matlho was a first offender.

'Before we finalised your judgement, we considered that you are a first offender. We also considered that you did not waste the court's time by pleading guilty to the charge.'The court also looked at the reasons you gave for hitting the complainant, that you hit her because you found her with another man in your house and that you were drunk,' said Mulalu.Mulalu also told  the court that they were aware that these days gender based violence is prevalent and the violence is perpetrated mostly against women.

He further said in other incidents of gender-based violence some people are left with serious injuries while others even lose their lives. 'The car shock absorber that Matlho used to hit the complainant was found.We also found out that the object could have left the complainant with serious injuries, when more pressure could have been applied when using it,' said Mulalu.Mulalu told Matlho that the prosecution is not against his litigation therefore they considered it as reason for a lesser charge.

'I, therefore, sentence you to two years' imprisonment commencing from May 25, and you can appeal to the High Court in 14 days if you are not satisfied with the sentence,' said Mulalu.Matlho appeared in person while Gaone Muzola from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) represented the state.