Mahalapye Acting Police Station Commander, Superintendent Moathodi Onalenna, said police recorded three separate incidents in which three people were stabbed with sharp objects following misunderstandings at different entertainment spots. Speaking in an interview with MmegiOnline, Onalenna said in an incident that occurred in Taupye village, a 25-year-old man was stabbed at a local bar following a misunderstanding with another man. “The victim was treated and discharged from a clinic on the same Christmas night.
Investigations are ongoing to locate the suspect, who is still at large,” he said. In another incident recorded at a bar in Konyana ward, Mahalapye, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly stabbed by her boyfriend following a misunderstanding. Onalenna said the Borotsi ward native sustained stab wounds to her right thigh and back and is currently hospitalised at Mahalapye Hospital.
“Investigations are ongoing to locate and arrest the boyfriend, who is still at large, and to establish what led to the fight,” he said. Onalenna further revealed that a third incident involved a 49-year-old man of Tshikinyega ward, Mahalapye, who was stabbed on the thigh at a local bar after being accused of stealing a mobile phone. He said the alleged stolen phone was later recovered from a friend of the owner of the phone.
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Police have since urged members of the public to resolve disputes peacefully and to refrain from carrying dangerous weapons, warning that knife-related violence remains a serious concern in the area. “We have lost lives following unlawful wonding cases that later turn into murder cases. We plead with men who are mostly prepetrators of knife crime to refrain from carrying knives at the bars,” he said.
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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