17 Aug 2026

A woman charged with the murder of her boyfriend’s 11-year-old son, Clifford Mochocho in 2016 has disowned a psychologist assessment report, saying it is untruthful.

Gaofengwe Selaolo, aged 42, told the Gaborone High Court on Friday during cross-examination that the psychologist assessment report contained information she never divulged during the session.

“I will not comment on it because I have not said the things contained in it,” she said.

Selaolo is said to have killed the Bosele Primary School learner and buried him on a hill in Mmankgodi.

However, she said what was true in the report was that she was in a love relationship with the deceased child’s father, Lewis Masimba and that they were living together alongside her daughter after moving in together in 2014.

She denied ever telling the assessor that the relationship had constant problems that were a source of her stress.

“It was having problems like any other relationship,” she told the court. The accused also denied inviting the boyfriend also the deceased boy’s father, Masimba, to church over their problems, saying the two constantly went to church together.

Selaolo further said she did not remember telling the psychologist that she had called the boy into the combi on the day he disappeared, and that the boy later came home and she beat him with a belt for misbehaving.

However, prosecutor Mr Motseoeme Taunyane of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions put it to her that the report did not show she had memory impairment, and that she was choosing what to forget and divulge at her convenience.

“I put it to you that yours is selective, you lie by omission,” Mr Taunyane said.

The accused further told the court that she did not remember the police station she was taken to, to report an alleged assault case by police, nor the names of the police officers who allegedly assaulted her, or the date the report was made. She said she had never followed up on the case.

“This assault case is the one which could be exonerating you from this case, and you never followed it up,” Mr Taunyane said, after Selaolo told the court she was beaten by police to confess to the murder. However, the accused responded that she did not remember the location of the police station she was taken to.

“You pick and choose what to remember, that is what the psychologist also says,” Mr Taunyane said, adding that he doubted Selaolo was ever beaten to confess to the crime.

Selaolo also changed her narrative and told the court she remembered calling the child into the combi but did not remember the combi driver nor any other passenger, despite having admitted the evidence of the combi driver.

She further denied that she was the last person seen with the child, as evidence suggested.

The accused also admitted that on March 3, 2016, her daughter told her that the boy did not sleep at home, but said she proceeded to go to work and moved out of the boyfriend’s place on March 4.

“It is not true I did not help with the search of the child,” she said, adding that she was the one who told the father to look for the child in the neighbourhood and report to the police.

She further denied leading the entourage comprising police and independent witnesses to the top of the hill, where she allegedly pointed under the mosetlha tree where the boy’s remains were found.   She also disputed evidence from witnesses who said she led the search, but added however that they had no reason to lie about her.

The case, which is before Justice Matlhogonolo Phuthego, will continue in September.

The accused, who is out on bail, is represented by Ms Lenah Jere. ENDS