Corpun file 24582 at www.corpun.com

The Voice, Francistown, 12 July 2013

Lashed for foul language

BEATEN: Joel Sekuku

A 21-year-old foul mouthed Francistown man was this week given five strokes of the cane on his bare buttocks after he was found guilty of insulting his estranged girlfriend.

Unemployed Joel Sekuku of Gerald Estates was on Wednesday arraigned before Kgosi Paul Motshwane facing charges of using insulting language against his girlfriend, Tebelelo Mabe.

The Gerald Estates Customary Court heard that on the 5th of July 2013, Sekuku used insulting language by sending a text message to Mabe after she decided to jilt him.

According to court papers, Sekuku allegedly sent a text message to his 22-year-old former girlfriend, which reads: 'n****** ya gago e ntshang diboko e a go ntwatsa'.

The text message can be translated as 'Mabe's vagina which breads maggots will make me sick.'

Sekuku did not waste the court's time and pleaded guilty as charged right away.

Kgosi Motshwane said Sikuku's plea of guilty was unequivocal and went ahead to convict him.

Remorseful Sekuku pleaded with the court not to send him to jail because he was the breadwinner in his family.

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"Imposing a custodial sentence on me could be punishing my parents as well because nobody would take care of them financially," said Sekuku who ekes a living through manual jobs around Gerald Estates.

Kgosi Motshwane then spared him jail and ordered that he be given five strokes of the cane on his bare buttocks.

Speaking to the Voice outside court, Sekuku said he texted the message out of anger when his ex-girlfriend told him to end the relationship.

"I was so frustrated that I failed to control myself," said Sekuku, adding that he used his emotions not brains when reacting to the issue of them parting ways.

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