‘TSABANA’ KILLER PLEADS GUILTY
A young man has pleaded guilty to the horrific murder of his three-year-old nephew in a row over tsabana three years ago.
Appearing before Francistown High Court on Tuesday, 23-year-old Onkgopotse Xabue admitted chopping down his sister’s son with an axe at Piijinaa cattlepost on 13 October 2020.
The postmortem would later reveal that little Gofiwa Omaatla Xabue, who suffered several cuts to the body, ultimately died from a fatal strike to the head.
It was heard the trouble started when Xabue asked his sister for the child’s medial card, as he wanted to go to nearby Matsitama clinic to collect tsabana.
To his fury, she said no and refused to budge.
Xabue reacted by beating his sibling before also assaulting her boyfriend (Gofiwa’s father) when he tried to intervene.
According to State Prosecutor, Gabarate Dzimundu, crying in frustration, Xabue wandered back home at around 8pm, where he fetched an axe from the firewood pile.
“He grabbed the defenseless boy, who then fell to the ground, and hit him with an axe multiple times on the whole body and then chopped his head,” said Dzimundu.
The toddler was rushed to Matsitama clinic but was certified dead upon arrival.
Beaten to within an inch of his life by furious residents, a battered and bruised Xabue was arrested early the next morning.
He has been in jail ever since, where he is likely to remain for a good while yet – unless, of course, court sees fit to hand down the ultimate punishment and sentence him to death.
The youth is due back in court on 12 September, when any mitigating and extenuating circumstances will be heard.
