‘Two-metre’s’ time running out as CoA uphold death sentence
A disgraced former police officer convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend moved a step closer to the gallows on Wednesday when the Court of Appeal (CoA) turned down his cries for mercy.
Back in May 2021, Francistown High Court found Atlholang ‘Two-metre’ Mujanji guilty of murdering Bokani Socks, later sentencing the ex-cop to death.
A nurse at Nyangabgwe Hospital, Bokani was slain on 3 January 2014, her burnt remains discovered by a couple out jogging in the early morning. She was found buried in a shallow grave near Donga BDF camp on the outskirts of the second city.
During his trial, an audio recording of Mujanji admitting to the murder was submitted in court. It emerged that while out on bail, ‘Two-metre’ travelled to ‘Breath of Life’ Church in Barolong where he confessed his crimes to a Pastor Milidzani Socks (no relation to the deceased).
As the murderer spilled his guts, Pastor Socks secretly taped everything.
In the recording, Mujanji claimed he had killed Bokani after a misunderstanding but was now haunted by the deceased appearing to him whenever he closed his eyes.
He explained he was angry with her because she refused to have a child with him because of his HIV status only to fall pregnant with another man.
Mujanji revealed he asked Bokani to meet him at Galo Mall, she agreed and they got Nandos, him waiting in the car as he did not want to be seen.
They then drove out of town, towards the Matsiloje Road, where he suggested they go for a walk. It was then that he stabbed her with a knife before hitting her with a big stone on head and burning her body – all of which he confessed to on tape.
Finding no extenuating circumstances in the matter, Justice Lot Moroka condemned Mujanji to hang – a ruling that was upheld by all three CoA Judges this week.
“The appellant deceived the deceased into going for a drive and in a secluded area, took her life in a brutal attack, tried to set her alight and left her at the mercy of the elements and scavenging animals,” noted the trio of: Lakhvinder Singh Wali, Isaac Lesetedi and Tebogo Maruping, adding that capital punishment was the only permissible sentence in this circumstance.