Tears of joy as court frees old man for Christmas
A Molepolole farmer who was recently locked up in police custody for wife beating shed tears of joy as the court allowed him to go home for Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Geoffrey Jansen commonly known as ‘Khowe’ reportedly assaulted his wife over suspicions that she was cheating on him.
Facing a single count of assault common, the 64 –year- old Geoffrey has his advanced age to thank for his freedom for the festive season.
When briefing the court in the presence of the accused relatives who occupied almost all seats in the small court room, prosecutor Assistant Superintendent Uyapo Koketso said considering the old man’s age, he may be granted bail.
“Witnesses are still to submit their statements, the victim was attended and discharged from the hospital, both the accused and the victim are staying together and they are elderly people, looking at the age he may be granted bail and shouldn’t stay together with the victim till the finalisation of this matter,” said Assistant Superintendent Koketso.
According to court papers, Geoffrey attacked his 53-year-old wife, Cecilia Jansen with fists and kicks all over her body at their home on Monday.
Eye witnesses testified that a quarrel broke out between husband and wife when the wife asked an employee to offload a goat that was in the car which her husband had brought home as a birthday present.
The husband allegedly got furious and wanted to know if the wife had an affair with a certain man before the goat could be off loaded.
In court Geoffrey said that when he questioned his wife about the man he suspected was her lover, the wife threw a glass at him and that provoked him to retaliate.
Granting Geoffrey bail, Magistrate Keabetswe Majuta explained to him that he had to bind himself with a sum of P2000, provide a surety that would bind him/herself with P1000 and stay away from the wife.
The magistrate further cautioned the old man that if there was something he needed from his home he should liaise with the police to assist him, to which the old man responded; “My trucks and tractors are at home, it’s a farm with a workshop where trucks also fetch some water, how could I not be close to her while my workshop is in the premises of our home.?
However, the magistrate repeated his stern warning that if Geoffrey were to violate any of the conditions of bail or even verbally abuse his wife, he would be back behind bars before his next date of mention on February 16th.
At the end of the court session, one of Geoffrey’s emotional relatives burst into tears and followed a crying Geoffrey who was on his way to sign for his bail.
