Match made in hell: Death penalty and murder

Abhorred by the Right-To-Life brigade, the death penalty has been the terrible twin of murder and related crimes in Botswana since before the dawn of democracy.

In short, in Botswana, premeditated murder is punishable by death. Period.

In most instances, murder cases and the sentences thereafter meted out to the convicted, are like a match made in hell (the opposite of heaven). It leaves a sour taste in the minds of those against state-sanctioned retribution and on the other hand satisfaction and closure for the victims and their loved ones. The story of Mariette Bosch, the South African white woman who murdered her best friend in Botswana with a gun she borrowed in her home country so that she could marry her husband is a case in point.

Editor's Comment
Our digital safety is in our hands

That sounds like good news. But the report also warns that this may simply be because our digital economy is still young, not because we are safe. As more people shop, bank and pay online, criminals will follow.We Batswana do not need a report to tell us that danger is real. Many of us have heard of or fallen victim to KYC scams. A caller impersonates your bank or mobile money provider. They say they need to “verify” your account. They ask...

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