A 36-year-old woman from Lekgatshwane village was raped by an unidentified man after she and a male companion were ambushed while returning from a wedding celebration on Saturday night. According to police, the woman had hitched a ride to the wedding from a friend. The pair were on their way back home at around 11pm when they parked beside a tarred road and got out of the vehicle to chat. Moments later, a man reportedly emerged from the nearby bushes armed with a rod and threatened the two. In fear for his life, the driver allegedly jumped back into the vehicle and sped off, leaving the woman behind to fend for herself. She tried to run away but the chasing suspect quickly caught her and dragged her into the bushes, where he allegedly raped her before fleeing the scene. Confirming the incident, Mogoditshane Assistant Superintendent, Mompoloki Ramaphoi told The Voice...

At 10, Lerato Lolo Obuseng wrote to former President Mogae… and he answered In 2004, six years into his presidency, Botswana’s third President, Festus Gontebanye Mogae received an unusual letter from 10-year-old Lorato Lolo Obuseng. True to his consistent salt-of-the-earth nature – a trait emphasised in anecdotes shared by various speakers during his recent sendoff – Mogae wrote back. 22 years later, Obuseng shared that letter publicly, not only to honour the esteemed Rra Nametsos’ memory, but to remind Batswana what leadership can look like. Now 32, the Gaborone-born Obuseng lives in London, where she works as an AI Strategy and Automation Specialist at CommCore AI. She is also co-founder of Share My Story Botswana and Diphalane Breakfast Sessions, initiatives focused on connection, leadership and community dialogue. But once, she was simply a frightened child. At the time, the country had been shaken by the murder of 10-year-old Kgotso Macfallen...

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Already serving 20 years for rape, self-styled ‘man of God’ Goitsekgosi Mojadigo is back in court after chilling new allegations emerged that he used his influence and status to prey on a helpless 13-year-old girl. The inner workings of the disgraced preacher’s alleged house of horrors were laid bare at the Village Magistrate’s Court, where an 18-year-old state witness bravely gave an eyewitness testimony, detailing how the cleric allegedly groomed and fondled the minor. Taking the stand before Senior Magistrate Tshepo Thedi, state witness Junior Malibela stunned the courtroom by physically demonstrating how the accused would touch the child. Malibela testified that his suspicions were first ignited after he moved into the church mission house residence at Donga, Francistown, alongside the victim’s mother and her two children. Mojadigo, then the head of Divine Anointing International Church, had allegedly orchestrated the living arrangements. “I started asking myself questions,” an appalled Malibela...

Murder suspect commits suicide after allegedly raping young woman A troubled youth set to stand trial for murder is suspected to have killed himself on Thursday night, hours after allegedly raping a young woman. 22-year-old Maduo Nagafela was found dangling from a tree in his home village of Ditshegwane on Friday morning, having seemingly used the string from his track pants to hang himself. The grisly discovery brought a swift end to a police search for the missing man, who had been looking for the Mogano ward resident in connection with the brutal rape of a 21-year-old lady from the village. Confirming the suspected suicide, Letlhakeng Assistant Superintendent, Lekopanye Molwantwa told The Voice, “Yesterday (Thursday) around 10pm we received a report from a young woman aged 21 saying she was raped by the suspect aged 22. She said the suspect found her at home with her grandmother and he asked...

Dylan powers to yet another national record Although he competes in the lightweight division, there is very little that is ‘light weight’ about Dylan Mannathoko. The 34-year-old muscle man proved once again why he is the best in the land, smashing his own national squat record at the Jack’s Gym Ultimate Powerlifting Championships in Gaborone over the weekend. Competing in the U/80kg category, a division he has made his own in recent years, the fired-up Francistowner ‘eased’ his way into the competition, squatting 235kg. With the blood pumping, Mannathoko then lifted 255kg, taking the huge weight on his broad shoulders with the ease of a housewife carrying groceries to the car. Feeling good, for his third and final lift, he went for history, setting his sights beyond the 260kg Botswana record he pulled-off at the Nationals in Jwaneng last year. Packing an incredible 270kg onto the bar, Mannathoko managed a...

Enesia push past Dinare into Premier League dreamland 4-2 down after the first leg, Enesia FC faced the proverbial mountain to climb. With Sunday’s second-leg locked at 0-0 after 45 minutes, the tie appeared all but over. But football has a funny way of writing its own stories. And so it proved, as newly-formed Enesia rewrote history, coming back from the brink to stun Dinare FC and secure promotion to the FNB Premiership. In front of a packed Old Francistown Stadium, Vakuru, under the guidance of youthful coach Keoleboge ‘Kgotla’ Motsamai, produced a stunning second-half turnaround. The Gerald Estates-based outfit scored two quick goals to level matters and, just as Dinare looked set to regroup, struck again in the 75th minute to send their supporters into a frenzy. The match had been preceded by plenty of off-field drama, with both clubs engaging in psychological warfare in the days leading up...

A suspected serial rapist believed to have a predatory eye for young girls will remain behind bars after Molepolole Magistrates Court once again denied him bail. Thapelo Seiso, 44, faces four rape charges, with the youngest of his alleged victims just five years old, a little girl he allegedly raped at the start of the year. Appearing for mention for this matter on Monday, where he displayed the arrogant attitude he’s become known for, the white-haired Magokotswane ward resident insisted he was innocent, claiming to know nothing about the offences. Court heard that the little girl’s mother is only 36-years-old, already has 11 children and is currently undergoing psychotherapy and rehabilitation. Outlining her reasons for remanding Seiso in custody, Magistrate Mmamerafe Phologo explained, “It is in the interest of justice that the victim being a minor child and other minor children in the accused person neighbourhood that he be remanded...

What began as a routine motshelo gathering filled with laughter, drinks and camaraderie ended in tragedy after a man was allegedly stabbed to death during a violent altercation in Lewang lands, between Ditshegwane and Moshaweng Villages in the Kweneng District. Police in Letlhakeng are investigating the shocking incident, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning and has left residents reeling. A 21-year-old man from Hatsalatadi is currently in police custody in connection with the killing. According to Letlhakeng deputy station commander Assistant superintendent Lekopanye Molantwa, both the deceased and the suspect were members of a cooperative society, commonly known as a motshelo, where members take turns hosting social gatherings at their homes to share among themselves money they have been saving while enjoying traditional beverages. It is alleged that trouble erupted while members were enjoying themselves at one of the hosts’ residences. What started as a misunderstanding between...

Relief for Maun school as local business donates 150 chairs The dark days at overcrowded Tshwaragano Junior Secondary School in Maun are finally a problem of the past thanks to a timely intervention by local enterprise, Sun at Work. This week, the investment company donated 150 plastic chairs to the government school, effectively bringing an end to a chaotic ‘double shift’ system that had pushed the school to its limit. Speaking at the handover ceremony, relieved School Head, JHGFDSA Setumo, detailed the immense pressure they faced since the start of the year, when an unprecedented surge in enrollment left the institution completely overwhelmed. “We started the year on a very difficult note after receiving large numbers of students. For the first time, we got more than 500 Form 1 students. All along we were getting 400 and slightly above, but this time around they went well over 500!” The influx...