A man accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend and mother of his two children was last Tuesday brought before a Molepolole Magistrate’s Court charged with assault and threat to kill.
Appearing before Chief Magistrate Gaseitsewe Tonoki, Lesena Mohibidu, 47, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
When narrating the harrowing details of her ordeal, the victim, Tebogo Ranjelele (33), told the court that Mohibidu was a habitual abuser and that their relationship ended in March 2001 at Mmanoko Customary Court after she had reported him for assault.
When given an opportunity to cross-examine the victim during trial, Mohibidu remorsefully requested her to forgive him. “I kindly request her to forgive me for the mistake that I made,” said Mohibidu whose apology was unfortunately too late as Ranjelele told the court that she could never forgive him.
Ranjelele told court that Mohibidu had assaulted and threatened to kill her several times and that she feared for her life.
In the latest assault incident, Ranjelele said Mohibidu had followed her to her uncle’s place where he threatened to kill her and kill himself. “He only left after my uncle and his wife rebuked him. He was arrested and later released on bail,” explained Ranjelele.
The court heard that earlier on September 24th, 2021, Ranjelele met Mohibidu on her way home after visiting her friend at night, around 9pm when he assaulted and uprooted her hair forcing her to get inside his car. “He opened the door and grabbed me; I had plaited two lines, and he inserted his fingers, uprooting the hair. He then pushed me forcing me to get inside his car, but I refused. I tried to run away, and he tripped me. When I fell down, he assaulted me with fists and kicking me telling me he was going to kill me,” said Ranjelele.
Ranjelele was rescued by a nearby family after she screamed for help.
She narrated that the family took her home and that she had sustained some bruises on the forehead with a swollen face and pains all over her body.
The eyewitness who rescued Ranjelele, one Lemogang Thousu (31), disclosed that on the fateful night he was disturbed by a woman’s screams while entertaining himself inside his house.
When he peeped through the window, he saw Mohibidu assaulting Ranjelele and he ran to assist though. “He threatened the woman, accusing her of belittling him by having love affairs with boys while he was there as her children’s father and that he would kill her. The man left Ranjelele only after I held him tightly by the neck,” explained Thousu.
The matter was scheduled for continuation of trial on October 18th, 2024.
