The woman was discovered lying in a pool of blood inside the house, with visible stab wounds. According to police, the deceased was last seen on Christmas Day at a family gathering in Metsimotlhabe village. She reportedly left the gathering, informing relatives that she was returning to her residence in Newstance, Gaborone.
When she failed to arrive home, her family waited for two days before reporting her missing. Mogoditshane police station commander, Superintendent Mbiganyi Letsholathebe, said the murder was reported by the suspect’s neighbour, a 72-year-old Motswana man. The neighbour allegedly received a phone call from the deceased’s Zimbabwean boyfriend, during which the suspect confessed to killing her, locking her body inside his bedroom and threatened to kill himself.
“Upon receiving the report, police rushed to the suspect’s residence where they opened the door and found the woman lying on the floor with multiple stab wounds,” Letsholathebe said. He said the deceased was found in possession of a passport, and her particulars matched those of the woman reported missing in Metsimotlhabe. “She was rushed to Nkoyaphiri Clinic where she was certified dead on arrival,” Letsholathebe said.
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Police have since launched a manhunt for the suspect, who remains at large, while investigations continue to establish the circumstances surrounding the murder. The crimes detailed elsewhere in this edition from the loss of a former minister to the heartbreaking murder of a child, and public arson to relentless gender-based violence, paint a distressing picture of a society under strain.These are not isolated tragedies. They are a collective alarm bell, ringing out as we enter a period meant for peace and goodwill.The festive season, while a time of joy, can also amplify existing pressures.
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