19 Apr 2022

Double murder convict, Wakgotla Mosimanewakgang, has been spared capital punishment for killing his girlfriend and her 1-year-old daughter in 2011.

Justice Michael Leburu of Gaborone High Court sentenced him to 25 years for murdering Ms Naledi Hisang and 30 years for murdering Motlalepula Hisang, the girlfriend’s daughter.

The two sentences shall run concurrently and shall discount the period the convict spent in prison pending conclusion of the trial.

Mosimanewakgang murdered the two by hanging them at Seole cattle post in the Southern District on September 9, 2011, after a dispute with the girlfriend.

Justice Leburu said he found extenuating circumstances in both killings.

He said evidence showed that the murders were not premeditated as they were committed after a fight that erupted between the convict and his girlfriend.

Justice Leburu said evidence submitted showed that the deceased bullied and abused the convict, who was described as a quiet and emotional young man

He said days before the murder, the convict was attacked and assaulted by the deceased and her family.

However, the two lovebirds reconciled later and spent a night together at the deceased place. The next morning, the convict and the two deceased persons embarked on a journey to where the convict was employed as a herdboy.

Justice Leburu said along the way, another fight ensued between the two lovebirds.

“The convict said it was Naledi who was the initial aggressor, the cause of the fight was the deceased’s infidelity,” Justice Leburu said.

He said it the fight led to the strangulation of Naledi and her daughter.

“The convict used pieces of strings that he detached from the blanket used to strap the baby on the mother’s back,” he stated.

Justice Leburu said the convict then fled the scene and subsequently penned a suicide note addressing his employer and stating that he killed the two because of the deceased’s infidelity and further stated that it was difficult for him to control his feelings.

Therefore, he said factual matrix were clear that there was no premeditation in the commission of the offence, adding that the factors clouded the convict’s reasoning and rationality.

“After he was attacked by Naledi, he snapped and without premeditation, caused her death,” he stated.

Justice Leburu said after hanging Naledi, the convict, who was a junior school dropout, immediately hanged Motlalepula.

He said the convict second act of hanging was done before the convict’s passion had cooled down, adding that the initial provocation had not dissipated at the time when he killed the one-year old child.

“He was still engulfed by irrationality and loss of self-control,” stated Justice Leburu, adding that the convict was 24-years-old at the time.

Justice Leburu said after studious, soul searching enquiry and assessment, the court found that cumulative effect of all the outlined facts, weighed and overpowered the convict’s rationality and self-control.

He further expressed hope that the deceased’s relatives would forgive the convict for the offences committed, adding that for purpose of closure, the wisdom of forgiveness reigned supreme. Mosimanewakgang was represented by Attorney Sesupo Masaka while the state was represented by Mr Farayi Mahwite of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions. BOPA