The incident followed a report made to the police after the deceased was involved in a fight with another woman at a local bar on Christmas Day. While fighting, the other woman allegedly bit her on the stomach and the deceased reported the matter to the police and both women were subsequently taken to the police station. Mahalapye-Central Acting Police Station Commander, Assistant Superintendent Moatlhodi Onalenna, said the deceased later complained of feeling unwell while in police custody and pleaded with officers to take her to the hospital.
Onalenna said that while police were transporting her to Mahalapye hospital, the woman jumped from the back of the moving police van and fell to the ground. “She was rushed to Mahalapye Hospital, where she was admitted. Unfortunately, she later succumbed to her injuries,” Onalenna said.
He added that a post-mortem examination has since been conducted, and the deceased’s body has been released to her family to proceed with burial arrangements. Police investigations into the matter are ongoing. 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.
