Former Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Ngami Branch Chairman, Kabo Kurusa has been sentenced to a 10-year jail term by the Maun Magistrate’s Court for raping an 18-year-old girl in 2019.
Kurusa who is also a Tawana Land Board member was accused for having forcefully had sexual intercourse with the complainant on September 6th of 2019, who he had earlier on the same day given a lift from Gumare to Maun.
When delivering the sentence yesterday (August 25th) presiding Chief Magistrate Thebeetsile Mulalo said the court took into consideration various circumstances that include rehabilitation of the convict as well as interest of the society and its security.
The accused person was treated as a first-time offender and the court also considered that he has minor children whom he needs to take care of.
“The court also took into consideration the accused person’s mitigation plea that he is a sole breadwinner to his old aged parents who are unemployed,” Mulalu noted.
Mulalu added that the court also gave thought to the accused person’s mitigation plea that he lived with the charge hanging over his head since 2019 and that the case received a lot of publicity causing anxiety for him. He added that Kurusa was also a useful member of the society.
“On the other hand, the court also had to consider that the accused person committed a serious offence which is currently prevalent in our jurisdiction, “Mulalu said.
He argued that sexual offences disregard government’s efforts to combat the alarming high numbers of HIV/AIDS adding that Botswana is currently one of the highest countries with HIV/AIDS numbers.
It is said that on the day of the incident the complainant was given lift by Kurusa who at the time was a Board Chairperson of Sekgele Society (a rehabilitation center for children with disabilities) and was on an official trip to Maun along with his two colleagues, a driver and a Board Secretary.
It is alleged that after their arrival in Maun the complainant proceeded with the trio to Botshelo Guest House to book for accommodation. This is where the rape incident allegedly took place in Kurusa’s room on the night of the same day.
It is said that the accused person who was using a condom at the beginning removed it at a later stage and forcefully had intercourse with her without using a condom. Meanwhile his attorneys have made known to court their intentions to appeal the sentence.
