07 Jul 2025

Bame Tshupetso, an 18-year-old teenager charged with stabbing her 30-year-old boyfriend with a knife three times a month ago at Maruapula in Gaborone, has been granted bail.

She was admitted to bail by Chief Magistrate, Ms Kamogelo Mmesi of Extension II Magistrate Court on Thursday. After listening to a bail application, the magistrate ordered that Tshupetso bind herself with P1 000 and provide two sureties who would, in turn, bind themselves with the same amount.

She was also ordered to report to Gaborone Central Police Station once a month and be taken to Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital for assessment. When advocating for her bail, attorney, Ms Mojaki Webster said she deserved bail immediately.

“The client should be admitted to bail with immediate effect; the client has an infant and she is also a victim of defilement,” Ms Webster said.

Ms Webster added that Tshupetso had not seen her infant child since May.

“She should be given an opportunity to see her child, whom she last saw when the police came to her place to arrest her,” she added.

Attorney Webster also stated that at the time of the crime, the suspect was about to be reintegrated into the education system and had completed counselling. She had been unable to return to school due to her incarceration. Furthermore, she mentioned that the accused had not entered a plea, making her continued incarceration unjustifiable.

“If the court continues to hold our client in prison, it will seem we are punishing a victim of gender-based violence as she simply refused to die and defended herself,” she stated.

During the previous mention, the court had ordered that the accused undergo counselling and a psychiatric evaluation, however, she said the psychiatric assessment was not completed because the doctor needed more information. Attorney Webster said the onus was on the state to provide all material information and therefore, the accused should not be punished for the state’s failures.

In addition, she said her client was previously denied bail on the basis that the victim was hospitalised, but the victim had since been released. The state did not oppose the bail application, consequently, Magistrate Mmesi granted her bail and also ordered her to appear on September 4 for mention. The charge sheet before the court states that Tshupetso, who is unemployed, stabbed her boyfriend, Thuso Raokgwatlhile, in the neck and chest at Maruapula location in Gaborone in the early morning of May 25. ENDS