Corpun file 19121

Mmegi, Gaborone, 23 April 2007

Angolan Refugee Gets Away With Six Strokes

By Nomsa Ndlovu
Correspondent

Maun: A lenient Maun Magistrate's court has slapped an Angolan refugee with six strokes of the cane on bare buttocks on top of a five-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm.

Disho Thinjavata, 32, of Dukwe refugee camp, was convicted of fracturing the left arm of his girlfriend with a stick after accusing her of engaging in extra love affairs.

Prosecutor Mokiya Mokiya told court that the incident took place on Independence Day last year. The assault occurred next to a water standpipe at Etsha 6 while the estranged couple were heading to the victim's yard.

Passing sentence, Magistrate Nsikelelo Moyo said that most women have been maimed because of assaults and grievous harm caused by their lovers. He said that such cruel activities were caused by men's failure to control their emotions, culminating in the murder of women.

"By sentencing you we need to send a message to perpetrators of similar offences that assaulting women is a serious offence," he said. Thinjavanga will appear again on Thursday for mention, on charges of arson and attempted murder.