Molepolole rocked by double murder as axe and knife violence leave two dead
A grim shadow fell over Kweneng District over the Easter holidays as two separate violent incidents claimed lives just days apart, leaving families in mourning.
In the first incident police confirmed that a 32-year-old Zimbabwean man, Thinkwell Mokandala, was beaten to death in a domestic dispute at Dikgonnye lands on the eve of Good Friday.
According to Superintendent Mothosera Busang of Molepolole police, a certain woman on Thursday reported to the police that her children at Dikgonnye lands phoned informing her that a Zimbabwean man was fighting them.
“The police went to the scene where upon arrival they found a certain Zimbabwean national lying unconscious. It is alleged that the victim had been in a love relationship with a certain woman from the same yard and he had had a quarrel with her before her brother- now the suspect, intervened,” he explained.
During the dispute the Zimbabwean man, Mokandala, allegedly turned on his girlfriend’s brother, 29-year-old Kelebogile Dolf Dinake who defended himself by hitting his attacker with an axe handle.
Mokandala allegedly fell unconscious and the police were called and took him to the hospital where he was certified dead.
In the other tragedy, the police received a report about a certain Ofentse Tshepo Diphakedi who was found dead with injuries on the stomach lying beside the road at Borakalalo ward on Sunday morning.
The police investigations led to the arrest of 62-year-old Modise Gasentsima who earlier, a day prior to the incident, had had a misunderstanding and fought with Diphakedi.
It is alleged that while at Diampitsa depot the previous night, Diphakedi hit Gasentsima with a bottle on the head.
Gasentsima reportedly retaliated by stabbing Diphakedi with a knife on the stomach.
The two murder suspects Dinake and Gasentsima were remanded in custody by a Molepolole Magistrates’ Court this week, to give way to police investigations.
They will appear again before court on May 12, 2025.
