16 Apr 2023

Eye witnesses in the 2015 gruesome murder of a Zimbabwean native, Joyce Tachiona at Goo Ruele ward in Kanye have attested seeing the deceased engulfed in fire and calling for help.

The deceased succumbed to fire burns and his boyfriend, Darlington Tede Jayaguru also from Zimbabwe had been charged with her murder.

According to the charge sheet, the accused willfully and unlawfully set fire to a building used as a dwelling house by Tachiona.

When giving evidence before Justice Omphemetse Motumisi of Gaborone High Court on Thursday, the state witnesses concurred that they found the deceased burning outside a house, which was also burning.

The first to take a stand, Ms Bontle Babui (60), said on the fateful day she was sitting around fire with other relatives when they heard someone screaming from the deceased’s house, who was their neighbour.

She said they rushed to the place, but could not enter as the gate was locked and retrieved back to the hearth.

Minutes later, she said they saw flames from the same neighbour’s house, adding that she, alongside other witnesses went back to the place and jumped over the fence to gain entry.

Bontle said upon arrival, they saw Tachiona running around the house screaming, saying that Jayaguru poured paraffin on her and set her on fire.

She said they tried extinguishing  the fire by pouring water on her.

She said they later went to report the matter to the police, adding that when they came back, Tachiona had been taken to the hospital.

When being cross-examined by the defence attorney, Mr Keorapetse Sambere on the origin of the fire, the witness said she could not tell who started the fire between Tachiona and Jayaguru.

Regarding the words alleged to have been uttered by Tachiona that the accused poured paraffin on her, the defence attorney said the deceased never said so, adding that the deceased was calling Jayaguru for help in Shona.

Another witness, Ms Onkarabile Babui (30) told the court that the accused also helped to put off the fire from the deceased.

She added that when the deceased said it was Jayaguru who set her on fire, the men who came to the scene started to beat him up, but he managed to break loose.

Onkarabile further said when she and others entered the yard, Tachiona came from the house burning while Jayaguru was coming from the toilet side.

The third witness, Ms Tinabo Babui (51) told the court that she knew the accused, Jayaguru, whom he said could hardly understand Setswana.

She said when arriving at the scene, she found Tachiona burning outside the house and fondly calling the name ‘D’, which was how she used to call Jayaguru.

She further stated that Jayaguru was coming from the direction of the toilet, adding that she did not hear Tachiona saying Jayaguru poured her with paraffin and set her on fire.

The trial will continue on 29 June and the state is expected to call two more witnesses, while the accused, who had been in custody since June 2017 remains in custody.

The state is represented by Ms Neo Molelekwa. ENDS