News

Grave concern

Published

2 weeks ago

November 26, 2019

Kabelo Dipholo

*Gaping hole in a tomb shocks villagers

*Family suspect witchcraft

A family from Ramokgwebana is desperate for answers following a strange, slightly sinister discovery at the village graveyard last Thursday.

58-year-old Baledzi Kamocha and his colleagues unexpectedly found out that his uncle Rodgers Kgosietsile Masaka’s grave had been tampered with.

“There was a huge gaping hole which was covered in a white cloth. What caught our attention were the several spike-like-needles used to pin down the cloth,” revealed a bemused Kamocha.

He said initially they suspected a cave-in but quickly ruled that out.

“I’ve been here long enough to know what a cave-in looks like. Clearly you can see that soil was scooped out to create an opening,” he said, pausing dramatically before adding in a hushed whisper, “It’s witchcraft!

“No wonder it doesn’t rain in Ramokgwebana,” he continued with a sweeping hand gesture, simultaneously glancing at the dark clouds growling threateningly above the open grave.

At first glance nothing seems amiss with Masaka’s grave. On closer inspection, however, it becomes clear the grave has been disturbed.

The hole is visible and the white cloth has been rolled into a ball, its spikes protruding menacingly from all angles.

Masaka, 84, died on June 11 and was buried five days later.

According to his cousin Kesekile Jambo, 75, the elder, who worked for Ipelegeng at the time of his death, was ‘a man who never bothered anyone’.

“He lived alone. On the day that he died he had notified his colleagues at Ipelegeng that he was not well and would seek medical attention the next morning,” recalled Jambo, who has wrapped herself in a woolly blanket despite the stifling mid-day heat.

She told The Voice that the old man was discovered the following morning in his house and was certified dead.

“He died alone; his death still haunts me to this day,” she said, the pain obvious in her wrinkled, weather beaten face.

Visibly disturbed by the grave hole incident, Jambo made it clear she did not want to come too close to her cousin’s last resting place.

“This is a death trap. Those needles are bullets in the spirit. They are spears that will pierce one’s soul!”

In an emotional outpour, Jambo said she believes someone came and scooped the soil into a large container then set a trap for the deceased’s relatives.

“This was done deliberately. This person made no attempts to cover their tracks, and I’m worried that whoever tries to refill that hole will die,” she said, shivering nervously under her blanket.

The old lady has no idea who would want to harm the family.

“No wonder it doesn’t rain,” quipped Kamocha.

As if in response, large sparkling drops fell from the sky, the hissing sound of rain echoing around the dusty graveyard.

Within seconds, the heavens open and we all flee for the car to escape the downpour and continue with the interview.

“I think you’re the one who brought this rain. The grave was just waiting for you to take pictures. Now it can rain,” laughed Kamocha, the joy of ‘Pula’ momentarily washing away his worries.

With no answers coming forth, conspiracy theories are being thrown about as the family tries to come to terms with the bizarre occurrence.

In a brief interview with The Voice, Kgosi Mollen Dube of Ramokgwebana said he learnt about the grave last Friday.

“I went there to view it and I have advised the family to deal with the matter.”

Kgosi Dube said it was ‘an unnerving thing’ which he intends to address at his next Kgotla meeting.

News

Your daughter is not yours

Published

10 hours ago

December 11, 2019

Portia Milo

DNA TEST EXPOSES WIFE’S AFFAIR WITH BROTHER- IN -LAW

A cheated husband who unknowingly raised his brother- in- law’s child as his own for three years ended the marriage in court this week and demanded a refund.

Gilbert Tom, on Wednesday divorced Mpale Tom nee Roberts after DNA tests results revealed that that their last-born child was not biologically related to Tom. They had been married for 15 years.

Tom, 50, became suspicious that his wife was cheating in 2009 when his brother in-law got into the habit of dropping off Mpale at their house after work.

Mpale, 43, fell pregnant in 2016 and when the baby was born, her husband was shocked that the baby was a spitting image of his older sister’s husband.

He then launched his own investigations in Mpale’s phone where he found messages that confirmed his suspicions
Some text messages revealed that Mpale was so much in love with her brother -in -law that she was even prepared to bewitch her husband’s sister to get her out of the way.

After finding out for certain that he was raising a child who was not his, Tom served Mpale with divorce papers.

She did not contest the divorce and readily confessed in court that Tom was not the father of her three-year-old daughter.

Divorce was granted and Judge Gabanagae ordered that the child be excluded from Tom’s responsibilities.

However Tom went further and demanded that his brother- in- law and his ex- wife pay him costs of raising a child that was not his, which are to be determined by court at a later date.

According to a relative who refused to be named for fear of victimization Mpale and her brother-in law worked together at a mine in Toteng village in 2013 and the family suspects that was when the disgraced couple started the affair.

She said coincidentally in 2016 the two found another job and moved to Francistown together.

“These people were too deep. We never thought they could do that to their partners and we thought they just related well as family members and little did we know that they were dating. This is painful for both families and it is very unfortunate that an innocent child has now been caught in the middle,” said the concerned relative

News

Mokubilo man accused of rape

Published

1 day ago

December 10, 2019

Chistinah Motlhabane

Letlhakane Police are investigating an incident in which a 28-year-old man allegedly raped a 34-year-old woman in the early hours of Monday morning (25 November).

The lady was on her way to Mokubilo Clinic – walking from the lands – when she reportedly met her armed attacker.

Taking over the narrative, Letlhakane Station Commander, Michael Maphephu told The Voice, “She reported that the suspect threatened to stab her with a sharpened iron rod.

“The suspect was arrested on the same day and will appear before court as soon as the Magistrate returns from sick leave,” said Maphephu, adding he could not release the accused’s name until he appears in court.

The worried police boss revealed this was the 89th rape case registered in his jurisdiction since the start of the year.

Maphephu added that most incidents involved women returning home in the evening after drinking or walking alone in the bush.

“I urge people to always walk in groups when they come from the bars or ask for company from trusted people when using bushy roads,” advised the top cop.

News

Letlhakane police swoop on suspected drug dealers

Published

1 day ago

December 10, 2019

Chistinah Motlhabane

A Bobonong man was arrested last Tuesday after allegedly trying to sell villagers a suspicious substance believed to be cocaine.

Confirming the 24-year-old’s arrest, Letlhakane Station Commander, Michael Maphephu said, “The Mahumahibidu ward man was caught by members of the community when he was trying to sell to them.

“He was arrested around 1530 hours and found in possession of a substance suspected to be cocaine. The substance was contained in a small plastic sachet.”

In another drugs bust in Letlhakane, on Sunday cops swooped on a Francistown couple suspected to be dealing in the mining town.

***CONFISCATED:*** Substances seized in F/town couple’s rented home

“The man aged 30 and his girlfriend 36 both from Francistown, Minestone were arrested at their rented house in Letlhakane. We suspect they were supplying to different people,” revealed Maphephu, adding this was the 38th drug-related arrest in his jurisdiction this year.

He warned those who sell drugs to refrain from such illegal behaviour as they are destroying lives.

“Drugs lead to one losing their mind and they even commit crimes like rape and murder under the influence of drugs,” noted the Station Commander.

The three suspects have since been released. The trio will appear in court as soon as the Magistrate returns from sick leave and the suspected drugs taken to the lab for forensic tests.