A young mother accused of conniving with her baby daddy to kill their 18-month-old son back in August 2016, wept hysterically when she learnt court were sending three of her other children to SOS Village in Tlokweng.
27-year-old Keamogestse Mmuso and her boyfriend, ThulaniMoyo, 28, are both facing a murder charge over the toddler’s death.
The couple took their unconscious son to Kopong Clinic, where upon examination nurses noticed marks of strangulation and scars on the baby’s face and ears.
The child was later confirmed dead by a doctor and the parents were arrested by the police and charged with murder.
Mmuso and her lover have been behind bars awaiting trial ever since.She was pregnant at the time of her arrest and went on to give birth in jail.
Appearing before Molepolole Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Mmuso was unable to control her emotions and cried throughout the proceedings. Indeed, she was so upset she struggled to speak.
Her tears and silence infuriated an unmoved Principal Magistrate, Kefilwe Resheng, who barked, “You do not want to talk to me, you are playing with tears. Are you aware that you are facing a capital offence with a capital sentence?”
The Magistrate’s rebuke prompted Mmuso to her feet, with the accused killer at last finding her voice, albeit shakily, and responding, “Nnake a tsamaya, a mpuisajaana, (I am going, you can’t talk to me this way).”
Instead, her councillor held her tightly and advised Mmuso to sit down and listen to the Magistrate.
The Lentsweletau lady then sobbed silently as Magistrate Resheng revealed her children were being sent into care.
The three kids – aged six, four and 18 months – had been staying with a foster parent in Molepolole’s Goo-Ntloedibe ward.
However, the 67-year-old lady who had been looking after the children recently informed social welfare officers she was unable to continue caring for them due to her deteriorating health.
Court ruled that Mmuso be escorted from prison to visit her children at SOS once a month.
It was also heard that the suspect has another son, aged eight – living with a different foster family.