A former gardener at Boyei Primary School who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping a 14-year-old former deaf student of the same schools has withdrawn his bail application pending appeal of his conviction.
Appearing before Maun High Court Judge Godfrey Nthomiwa recently, Oreeditse Kabo, aged 50 withdrew his bail application following an update that his case documents have been availed and that the substantive matter is scheduled for the 24th November 2023 before Judge Bugalo Maripe.
In his withdrawal statement, Kabo was of the view that there is no need to waste time by continuing to pursue for bail instead of focusing on the appeal.
During trial, it emerged that the Kabo, on September 3rd, 2016 allegedly invited the minor who was accompanied by her two male classmates to his place where he later told her colleagues to leave the victim behind.
Kabo is said to have then took the victim to a different house which reportedly belonged to his brother. It was at this place where he ordered the minor to undress before forcefully having sexual intercourse with her using a condom. It is said that the victim at the time was on her period.
When convicting the old man in June last year, Maun Chief Magistrate Thebeetsile Mulalu noted that the court took into consideration that Kabo was a first time offender of sexual offence though he has a previous conviction of causing actual bodily harm that he admitted to which dates back to 1994.
Mulalu added that he also took into consideration that in his mitigation plea the accused person pleaded for a lesser sentence as he said he was a sole bread winner at his home where indicated that he solely takes care of his virtually impaired mother.
However, the chief magistrate also took into consideration that rape cases are prevalent in this jurisdiction hence a stiff sentence is necessary to help curb potential offenders.
He added that such offences have a potential that negatively affects government’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS transmissions. “Therefore the accused person is sentenced to 10 years in prison which shall take into account the 34 days he spent in prison pending sentencing,” Mulalu delivered the sentence.
The convict will appear on the 24th November before Maripe for status hearing.
