Woman convicted of scalding boyfriend with cooking oil
The fate of a Maun woman who nearly fried her boyfriend with cooking oil in a cold-hearted attack, will be decided on November 25th following her conviction this week.
Tebagano Masia,34, was on Tuesday found guilty of unlawfully wounding her then boyfriend, Boikuelo Mokgethi, 40, with hot cooking oil.
The court heard that on November 19th last year, Masia waited for Mokgethi to fall asleep before she heated up some oil and poured it over his sleeping frame, causing burns to his face, chest and thighs.
It was heard in court that Masia’s anger was fueled by her boyfriend’s refusal to withdraw a case of domestic violence he had lodged against her.
Mokgethi had reported a case of malicious damage to property and the matter was to be heard before a Customary Court.
Taking the stand to note her judgement seemingly anxious, Masia did not have anything to say as she sat quietly listening to the court’s verdict.
During trial the state presented the testimony of the doctor who attended Boikuelo on the fateful day.
The doctor testified that he was in a sound state of mind despite the pain from the secondary degree burns he suffered at the hands of his former lover.
The state further called Boikuelo’s parents to take the stand as he had run to their place shortly after the attack and they took him to the hospital.
The parents informed the court that their son came to their house at around 1am and reported to them that his girlfriend had poured hot oil all over his body.
It was heard that they immediately rushed him to Matsaudi health post where they were informed that the nurse had left with another patient to Maun.
They then rushed him to Letsholathebe Memorial hospital in Maun where he was admitted.
Masia through her attorney, Clifford Foroma, alleged that the cooking oil incident was an act of self-defense as Mokgethi physically abused her throughout their eight-year relationship.
Masia also alleged that during the incident Mokgethi was not sleeping as he had just assaulted her and ordered her to cook for him.
Rubbishing Masia’s defense Magistrate Keneilwe Kgoadi explained that if indeed she was abused, she should have reported the incidents to the police just as Mokgethi did.
Magistrate Kgoadi further rejected Masia’s claim that Mokgethi had not been sleeping when she poured hot oil on him.
“The court has found that the victim was asleep at the time of the incident. The accused should have reported all the abuses just as the victim reported her. It is on record that they were at a customary court. One cannot defend themselves from a man that is sleeping, I therefore find the accused person guilty and accordingly convicted.”
Masia is set to appear again on the 25th November for presentation of previous convictions and mitigation .
