The Francistown Magistrate’s Court recently handed down a 20-year jail sentence to 32-year-old man from Goshobola, Tonota convicted for raping his 54-year-old mother last year.
Armed with a knife the convicted rapist allegedly raped the woman, after he reportedly consulted a traditional doctor who told him he was being bewitched by the victim.
During trial, the complainant told court that she was shocked by her son’s demand and tried several times to stop him from sexually assaulting her, pleadings which however did not only fall on deaf ears, but made her son to go rogue and vicious.
“Afraid he would kill or harm me, I convinced him to at least use a condom. He asked me where the condoms where, and I told him to check in my handbag,” disclosed the distressed woman.
She continued, “he told me to undress, otherwise he will kill me. I did not consent to having sexual intercourse with my son. He was threatening me with a knife; I tried to grab the weapon from him but got cut in the process. He raped me throughout the night,” narrated the tearful mother.
On the other hand, the young man claimed that his mother had consented to having sex with him.
“It was not the first time for us to have sex. She agreed, I did not force her,” he claimed.
Sentencing the accused, Principal Magistrate Tshepo Magetse said, “the facts of this case are deeply disturbing and bizarre. The accused stands in court convicted of raping his own biological mother. The very person who carried him in her womb, raised him and extended unconditional love and care that motherhood entails. This is a painful and tragic betrayal of trust, love and dignity that every mother should not expect from her child.”
Magetse said the court cannot and will not use soft language or conceal its condemnation noting that mothers are not to be violated and not live in fear of their own children. He concluded that the justification for this sentencing approach lies in the pressing need for the law to speak with clarity and strength.
“This court takes a firm stance not only to punish but to protect, to affirm the sanctity of the maternal bond. To also send a clear and unambiguous message that such acts will be met with the full measure of justice”, bellowed the principal magistrate.
