As a former Principal State counsel and prosecutor in the Attorney General Chambers of Botswana from 1986-1997, I was appalled to hear of the case of self styled and self proclaimed Prophet Kgosi Mojadigo who has been charged with two counts of rape and defilement.
He is alleged to be facing a total of five counts of sexual assault. One of the young girls he is alleged to have defiled is a sixteen year old who is pregnant.
What is even more alarming and concerning was to learn that he was granted bail.
The bail conditions granted to him of P5,000 and two sureties of P2,500 each also show no bearing on the seriousness of the case.
The first Magistrate who dealt with the case, Magistrate Queen Moanga, was correct in remanding the accused in jail and denying him bail on the basis of the seriousness of the crime and the possibility that the accused may tamper with evidence.
The ruling made by by Magistrate Daniel Nkau, on the other hand, is concerning.
The Magistrate gave the accused bail claiming that the prosecution had “failed to show why the accusers liberty should be tampered with”.
It is to be noted that the accused, Kgosi Mojadigo occupies a position of authority, which gives him unlimited access to women and young girls.
People come to him for “prayer and spiritual advice”.
The criminal charges currently facing him are extremely serious and if proven, will show that he has greatly abused his so called office.
Rape & GBV in Botswana
Just recently the body of another young lady, Tshepang Aobakwe Mogale, CEO of Gamechangers was found murdered.
There was evidence to show that her former boyfriend was threatening and harassing her.
The young girl still ended up being murdered.
What a tragic end to the story of a young girl who was making her mark in the marketplace.
The authorities are seemingly not winning the war against GBV, rape and passion killings.
This matter has been a critical issue for decades.
Where is the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs in all of this?
It would be great to see the strategic plan they have in place to reduce abuse of women.
The government must show that there is a concerted political will to deal with this pervasive social ill.
Where are the Women’s Advocacy Centres and groups? Is Emang Basadi still in operation?
If so, what are they doing along with other groups to push back against these atrocities?
Well done to the Every Child Matters Advocacy group for showing up to express your concerns.
Your slogan, “Protect a child, protect our future” is on point!
Is it possible for the Ministry of Justice, along with the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration & Women Affairs to mobilise and organise a national Lekgotla on this matter with all relevant stakeholders, including the police?
The purpose of the conference should be to: engage all stakeholders to discuss and brainstorm solutions, develop a strategic plan identifying the critical stakeholders to be held responsible & setting out the various stakeholder responsibilities developing a system to monitor the performance of each stakeholders.
The police will need to be one of the key stakeholders in this conference.
When i was still in the AG’s Chambers, there was a requirement that we go out regularly to help train the police in criminal matters.
We would train them especially on how to investigate cases to ensure that evidence was adduced in the proper manner. Is this still being done?
Judicial Officers must be key stakeholders in this process.
They need to be sensitised on these issues.
There is a need to have specialised Courts that will handle and deal with such cases with the seriousness and sensitivity they deserve in all parts of the nation, not just Molepolole.
Where is the Church & EFB, Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana in all of this? There is a role for the EFB and the Church to play to ensure that charlatans and wolves masquerading as Ministers of the gospel do not misrepresent the Church and Body of Christ.
The Church must contend for the faith and refuse to protect the few known charlatan Fivefold Ministers who are ravaging & exploiting the flock financially and sexually.
There must be a strategic plan that is presented with clear identified stakeholders that will be held accountable for delivery.
Reduction in the number of GBV, rape & murder of women cases must be one of the key performance indicators.
Those stakeholders who fail to make any impact in their areas, must be removed and replaced with those who have capacity to make a difference.
Where are the Fathers in all of this?
There are many good men and good fathers in Botgswana.
This is their opportunity to role model what it means to be good fathers and a good men.
A ko lo iphuteng bo Ntate!
Mobilise yourselves to call out the deviants amongst yourselves and to role model what manhood really is to the younger generation.
Bonna ga se go betsa mosadi.
Ke bogatlapa moo!
Monna o betsang mosadi, ga semonna.
Ke mosimanyana o senang taolo!
A ko re itekeng Batswana betsho!
The nation cannot prosper as it should with this GBV, rape & passion killing millstone over its head.
Any nation that wants to prosper economically, socially, and politically must ensure that its women are safe and have opportunities to thrive.
Statistics show that 40 % of households in Botswana are led by single women.
In other words, almost half of the households in Botswana are led by women.
The next generation that will rise up in Botswana are mostly dependent on the well being of women.
Let the nation arise to ensure that women are properly taken care of and empowered to help nurture and raise up the next generation.
Botswana is signatory to the SADC protocol on gender, which has as one of its main targets, the reduction of violence against women.
As the nation that hosts the SADC office headquarters, it must exhibit a seriousness and doggedness in squarely addressing this issue.
Setswana sa re, Mosadi ke Thari ya Sechaba.
A re tlhokomeleng basadi ba sechaba!
Dr. Pearl Kgomotso Kupe,Former Principal Counsel, Prosecutions, AG Chambers(1986-1997)
First appointed Registrar, Botswana Industrial Court (1997)
Former Social Dialogue Specialist, ILO International Labour Organisation 2001-2006
Currently Lawyer, Author, Activist, magazine consultant, International consultant to world leaders/organisations & Host of Ambassador of Change on TBN Africa
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