Murder convict pin hopes on Court of Appeal

Murder convict, Matshidiso Ntwaagae is pinning her hopes on the Court of Appeal to overturn a 12 years prison sentence for killing her boyfriend.

Ntwaagae was sentenced to 12 years behind bars by Lobatse High Court Judge, Onkemetse Tshosa for the murder of her boyfriend Pule Letota three years ago after being convicted of murder with extenuating circumstances.Today (Thursday) morning Ntwaagae appeared before three Gaborone Court of Appeal Judges to appeal her judgment represented by lawyer Kgosietsile Ngakaagae. The lawyer argued this morning that the state prosecutors failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt and further stated that his client was not aware of her actions.

“She was not even aware that she had picked up an axe to hit her boyfriend at the time,” he said. However, the state lawyer, Pascal Mhandu said Ngakaagae’s defense does not hold water as all the assumptions have been made in Ntwaagae’s favor. He pointed out that despite her argument that she was acting out of self-defense she has not sustained any wounds that indicate that she was attacked.

“For her to strike someone 11 times on the most vulnerable part of his body with an axe does not make any sense,” he argued. Ntwaagae will know her fate next month when the three judges read out the judgment.