The trial involving former Tonota Member of Parliament, Pono Moathodi, is scheduled for July 28th and 29th.
The case stems from a January 2019 incident in Tonota village, where Moathodi, popularly known as PPP, along with married couple Maranyane Kebitsang and Nnyana Kebitsang, allegedly assaulted an 11-year-old boy they reportedly caught stealing mangoes from their yard.
The accused are also alleged to have set a vicious dog on the child, resulting in puncture wounds and bruises to his face and body.
All the accused initially pleaded not guilty to the charge. However, one of them, Maranyane Kebitsang, has since passed away.
This is a matter that has dragged on for over six years and has had many postponements. At some point, reconciliation was considered, with both Moathodi and Nnyana consenting to compensating the complainant with P40,000 paid in installments.
That window of hope, however, quickly closed for Moathodi and his co-accused as the prosecution, led by Gaone Miller, abandoned their reconciliatory approach and pushed for a trial instead.
The Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act (Section 321) allows a Magistrate, with the consent of the prosecutor, to promote reconciliation, and encourage and facilitate the settlement, in an amicable way, of proceedings for assault or for any other offense of a personal or private nature not aggravated in degree, on terms of payment of compensation or other terms approved by court.
The ‘Mango’ case has been hanging over the former legislator’s head for too long and remains one of his biggest political blights. The long wait may however continue with the possibility of another postponement as Moathodi’s attorney, Tshekiso Tshekiso, has been called up to the bench and will resume his duties as a Judge in August.
