A former Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Ngami Branch Chairman, Kabo Kurusa who is facing a single count of rape will know his fate next month when the Maun Magistrate’s Court deliver judgement on the matter.
Kurusa who is also Tawana Land Board Member is alleged to have on September 6, 2019 forcefully had sexual intercourse with the complainant whom he had earlier on the same day given a lift from Gumare to Maun.
Kurusa who at the time was a Board Chairperson of Sekgele Society (a rehabilitation centre for children with disabilities) was reportedly 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.
Kurusa has however pleaded not guilty to the charge. The complainant was reportedly aged 18 years at the time of the alleged incident.
In his defence during the continuation of trial this week, Kurusa maintained his innocence that he did not have sexual intercourse with the complainant. He however confirmed that the complainant did enter his hotel room at Botshelo Guest House on the night of the 6th September 2019.
“I did not invite the complainant into my room, I found her there with Madise waiting for me as I was busy making dinner reservations for myself. I ended up making another reservation for Madise and the complainant as I had agreed with him,” Kurusa said.
The accused person noted that the complainant spent around one hour in his room though he did not spend much time with him alone in the room. Kurusa claimed that few minutes after Madise had left the hotel, he gave the complainant an amount of P200 as taxi fare to go home after her aunt had called the accused person questioning the whereabouts of the complainant.
“The company car arrived as the complainant was about to leave so the driver took her home, I did not demand back the P200 taxi fare as I had already given her,” Kurusa told court. The accused person revealed that he only got to know about the rape case when the police came to arrest him around midnight that same night.
During trial proceedings, the state revealed that the complainant told court that the accused person had locked her in his room and later forced her to undress and had sexual intercourse with her. It is alleged 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.
Presiding Chief Magistrate, Thebeetsile Mulalu will deliver judgement of the case on the 24th of June 2022.
