A 45-year-old man, Tirelo Dotora convicted for unlawfully wounding his girlfriend’s mother with a sharp object on the shoulder and left arm has been sentenced to two years in prison with one year wholly suspended for three years.
Dotora was initially charged with two counts of unlawful wounding for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend Enamile Olebogeng and her mother Maikgantsho Olebogeng. The prosecution was however forced to drop another charge after the accused person’s girlfriend indicated that they have reconciled and she has forgiven him. The second complainant who is her mother however ignored her daughter’s forgiveness and was determined to let justice to prevail.
According to court papers, on the 9th of May last year at Disaneng ward in Maun attacked Olebogeng at her house and stabbed her on her left arm and shoulder with a sharp object. It is said that when Olebogeng’s mother, Maikgantsho Olebogeng heard her daughter crying for help rushed to the house where she suffered the same fate.
After stabbing the two, Dotora is said to have then fled the scene while the victims where taken to Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital where they were treated and discharged.
Magistrate Keneilwe Kgoadi noted that the accused person did not show any remorse for his actions during court proceedings but was only concerned about his livelihood and businesses. The magistrate further noted that Dotora during trial showed an abusive character with anger issues, adding that imprisonment will give him a chance to rehabilitate and deal with his anger issues.
Kgoadi however indicated that when passing judgment, they took into consideration the accused person’s age during the time he committed the offence, circumstances that led him to committing the offence, his character and the fact that he is a first time offender and a breadwinner for his nuclear family.
During trial Kgoadi dismissed the accused person’s claims of mistaken identity saying he knew the victim very well since he is in a relationship with her daughter. She argued that both the victims knew the accused person very well.
The convict had pleaded for a lesser sentence arguing that he owns an electrical company which has been awarded a tender to install electric cables at the Self Help Housing Agency houses in Xhabare. He claimed that two of his employees will lose their jobs if he is sentenced to prison. Dotora further argued that he is a sole provider for his girlfriend and their daughter who has just completed her form 3 level last year.
