A 34-year-old man from Chadibe appeared before a Maun Magistrates court last Tuesday for allegedly raping his lover and setting alight her Toyota Runx in a fit of rage following a misunderstanding.
On July 22nd, Kgosietsile Godfrey Fanile allegedly raped the woman at his home in Tsau village and later burnt down her car to ashes.
Charged with a single count of rape and another of malicious damage to property, the prosecution through Maitshwarelo Thomas from the Directorate of public Prosecutions (DPP) have since applied for Fanile’s remand on suspicion that he is of unsound mind.
“There are suspicions that the accused is of unsound mind. He has been in police cells since his arrest, may he be held at a psychiatric hospital and taken for review,” said Thomas.
The prosecution further called the Investigating officer, Onalethata Motlhapisi, to the stand to further advance their reasons why Fanile is not a candidate for bail.
“The investigations are still fresh. The victim is still traumatized and we also fear for the life of the suspect because he was arrested by members of the public who were very angry,” said Motlhapisi.
According to Motlhapisi, he also didn’t have time to interview Fanile because when asked questions he says things that don’t make sense, hence they feel that he should be taken for psychiatric evaluation.
“He destroyed the victim’s cellphone. He says it is the cellphone that links her to people who want to bewitch him. When asked why he burnt car he said it belongs to him, which is not true,” revealed Motlhapisi.
Motlhapisi further revealed that he called Fanile’s mother to find out his medical history and the mother also indicated that she suspected that he might be mentally ill.
“The mom said he once took a living cat and threw it in the pit latrine. We have a case against him in Fracistown where he once dumped his two kids at the police station for three weeks. We highly suspect that he’s mentally unsound and we apply that he be taken for psychiatric evaluation,” said Motlhapisi.
Motlhapisi noted that on Saturday when they went to collect the exhibit; the burnt car, they also searched Fanile’s house where the rape reportedly happened and they found traces of marijuana and therefore they suspect that he might also be involved in drug abuse.
For his part, Fanile denied the rape allegations levelled against him citing that they had consensual sex like any other partner and that she lied to the police abaout the rape and the burnt car.
“The complainant is the woman that I have been staying with. We just had sex like we always do and later on when a misunderstanding ensued she created the rape story. She said I raped her because I had burnt down her car,” said Fanile adding that if the police are fearing for his life why then do they assault him inside police cells as he can equally die from their beatings.
“I have kids that I am taking care of. I want to go and update my parents on the matter. I will avail myself zx,every time they want me because I don’t think there is anything to run away from,” said Fanile.
The matter has been set for status update and the prosecution has been ordered to take Fanile for psychiatric evaluation to confirm his mental state.
