Mokgopo allegedly viciously attacked his father with a knobkerrie (traditional club), fracturing his ribs and wrists after a family dispute. The father has since been admitted for treatment at the hospital. At the time of the offence, the father-son pair were living together.
The man, who has since been granted bail, appeared before Village Senior Magistrate Tshepo Thedi. The charge sheet reads: “The accused person Lentswe Otiisitswe Mokgopo on or about January 1, 2026, in Block 8, in the Gaborone district of the Republic of Botswana, unlawfully caused grievous harm to Johnson Mashanga Mokgopo by assaulting him with a knobkerrie on the wrist and chest, causing him to sustain a fracture on the left wrist and five fractures on the right ribs.” In court, the State told the magistrate that it does not oppose bail but demands strict conditions. The State further pleaded that the accused should not get into contact with the victim and that he should move out of the family home.
Since the State did not oppose bail, the magistrate granted the accused bail. The case continues. 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.
