FRANCISTOWN: A 39-year-old Thabala man, Kefilwe Setshwaela, who fatally stabbed his former girlfriend has pleaded guilty to one count of murdering Barulaganye Thakadu on November 7, 2019 in Moepe lands near Thabala.
Setshwaela stabbed Thakadu several times on the back with an Okapi knife for talking to a suspected love rival. According to the facts of the matter, Setshwaela and Thakadu were lovers since 2004 but their love relationship ended two months before November 2019.
“The accused and deceased had two children together but one of them has since died. On November 7, 2019, the accused was at one Mma Ngwenya's place drinking a local brew Khadi.
The deceased and one Mompati also known as Buru among others were also at Mma Ngwenya’s place. The accused went to the deceased and took out a P20 note giving it to the deceased to buy Khadi. The deceased refused to take the money and the P20 fell to the ground. One Kesegofetse then took the money and bought Khadi for P5 and then gave the accused his change.
Despite earlier refusing to take money from the accused, the deceased and others drank the Khadi that the accused bought,” according to facts that were read before Justice Tshegofatso Mogomotsi. A short while after drinking Khadi, the deceased told the people that she was with that she was going home to cook food for the elders. “When the deceased was about to exit Mma Ngwenya’s place, Buru called her to come to him.
The deceased went to Buru who was in the company of three other men.
The accused had suspected that the deceased was in a love relationship with Buru. In a fit of rage, the accused went to the deceased and grabbed her by the clothes and then dragged her out of Mma Ngwenya’s place towards the outskirts of the village leading to Moepe. Monkemedi and others who were at Mma Ngwenya then followed the accused and deceased trying to intervene.
The accused drew an Okapi knife threatening to stab Monkemedi and others who had followed him and the deceased. Monkemedi and others who had followed the accused and deceased returned and informed one Constable Mpotsang about their encounter with the accused. Constable Mpotsang and others went to where the accused and deceased were heading to.
While near the accused and deceased, Constable Mpotsang dissuaded the accused from harming the deceased. The accused then stabbed the deceased with a knife several times on the back.
The deceased fell to the ground before one of the people who was with Constable Mpotsang took the knife from the accused before the accused was arrested. The deceased was certified dead upon arrival at Sekgoma Hospital,” said the facts. After the facts were read to Setshwaela, Justice Mogomotsi said that she was satisfied that Setshwaela’s plea was unequivocal and convicted him as charged. Setshwaela is due in court on November 13 for extenuation.
