Kabelo Masoabi
A Botha-Bothe man, accused of murdering his father, has told the High Court that the fatal stabbing occurred in self-defence after the deceased allegedly attacked him with a sjambok.
Tšeliso Makoatleng of Ha Leketlane is standing trial for the murder of his father, Telekiso Makoatleng, during an incident that occurred on 5 May 2018.
The trial resumed this week before High Court Justice Itumeleng Shale, with the court hearing testimony from state witnesses.
Defence counsel, Advocate Selepe, told the court that Tšeliso did not intend to kill his father but reacted after being repeatedly assaulted with a sjambok.
According to the defence, Tšeliso lost self-control during the assault and stabbed the deceased with a knife while trying to defend himself.
The incident occurred during a traditional cloth-undressing ceremony held at the home of Kemo Makoatleng, where a fight first broke out between Tšeliso and another man, Masilo Mokutu.
The court heard that Telekiso intervened in an attempt to separate the two men but was subsequently stabbed.
State witness Malefetsane Mokutu testified that he did not know what had sparked the altercation but heard the Tšeliso insulting Masilo before the latter struck him in the face, knocking him to the ground.
“We were seated around the fire with other men from the village, talking and sharing drinks, when a commotion suddenly broke out between the Tšeliso and Masilo at around 8pm,” he said.
The two men exchanged blows on the ground before they were separated by another man identified as Kemelo.
Mr Mokutu said that shortly afterwards the Tšeliso’s father approached his son to question his behaviour. At that moment, the Tšeliso allegedly drew a knife and moved toward him.
He told the court that the Tšeliso first stabbed the deceased in the left arm before delivering a second, more serious stab wound to the chest.
“Mr Telekiso fell to the ground and lay there silently with his eyes wide open. Tšeliso said, ‘I told you I will kill you all,’” the witness testified.
The deceased was still breathing when he was taken to a nearby health centre but died the following morning from his injuries, according to the witness.
Mr Mokutu insisted that Telekiso was unarmed at the time of the attack.
However, Adv Selepe disputed that version, arguing that Tšeliso had been defending himself against his father’s assault.
“The accused (Tšeliso) says he first tried to stop the attack by injuring the deceased in the arm, but when the assault continued he stabbed him in the chest,” she told the court.
She also said the confrontation began when a man identified as Madoda was being chased away from the ceremony by Masilo, prompting the Tšeliso to intervene. She emphasised that the Tšeliso had no prior conflict with his father.
But Mr Mokutu maintained that Telekiso never attacked his son.
“He was speaking to the Tšeliso when he was stabbed. He never fought back and he was not carrying any weapon,” the witness said.
The case continues before the High Court sitting at the Tšifa-Li-Mali complex in Leribe.
