They were deeply in love

When Mpho Teseletso saw Stephen Ramoshabati Mokgalagadi and his girlfriend Daisy Mogojwe this past Saturday night at the bars in Block 6, he did not know that in a few hours he would be seeing their bodies burnt. At least that is what he tells The Midweek Sun reporter YVONNE MOOKA and photographer BOTSANG MOITOI. The horrific death of the youthful couple has left the nation reeling in shock. According to Teseletso, Mokgalagadi and his girlfriend were an inseparable pair that enjoyed their beer. He says Mokgalagadi was a respectful mechanic who was loved by all for his friendly character. “They were very much in love and wherever he was, they were always together. Teseletso’s face turned pale as he spoke about seeing the couple after a few hours, burnt to ashes in their one-roomed house. “I saw them happy together and I also saw them dead beyond recognition. It’s so sad,” he says. Upon arrival at the scene on Sunday morning when the incident was reported, The Midweek Sun crew found people gathered in front of the yard. Gaborone West Police officers and fire men were moving up and down to remove the burnt bodies. It was quite tense. People were restricted from entering the yard where the bodies lay inside the house. Smoke was still smouldering. Unfortunately, entry was restricted to the police and firemen only. “We cannot allow you to come inside the yard because this is still a fresh incident and very sensitive,” said G. West Police Station Commander Supt. Onious Madziba. He said the incident was reported to them around 6am on Sunday but would not divulge any further details as they were still trying to identify the deceased and to locate their families. They were in love The Midweek Sun was back at the scene on Monday where neighbours spoke about the couple. Contrary to the conflict and suicide theories that some suggested, a neighbour, Lorraine Baitshoki, dismissed all as not plausible, saying the two were deep in love, and that she saw them every day happy and drinking together. Even on Saturday, she saw them drinking in front of their house with a man who stays in their rented two and half house. The Midweek Sun learned that the couple was staying in Mogojwe’s house that she inherited from her late mother. She was working for Ipelegeng while Mokgalagadi was a mechanic. “It looked like they had money that day because they had been drinking since Friday. On Saturday, they were drinking in front of their house with their tenant,” she says. She caught wind of a horrible odour around 5am and did not know where it was coming from. She woke up, went outside to find out where it could be coming from. “I was met by their tenant breaking their door. Their house roof was on fire. He was shouting that people have burnt inside the house. And he rushed to fetch water trying to put off the flames on Mogojwe’s body, who was lying lifeless behind the door, with no hands and legs on her,” she said. She then phoned the police and fire department. Baitshoki’s take is that the couple was over-drenched in alcohol, and may have left the candle burning. Her suspicion is that the burning candle was near the cylinder gas, which fuelled the fire. “I think they were killed by the strong smoke. From the look of things, the man had tried to escape through the window but couldn’t. He was in a worse state as with him it was only bones left,” she said. By Monday, the smoke from the house could still be felt in the air. People still came to see for themselves. There was a small gas cylinder, some water bottles and everything inside was literally burnt. Superintendent Madziba told The Midweek Sun on Tuesday that Mogojwe was 36 and Mokgalagadi, 41. The former was from Metsibotlhabe and the boyfriend from Mahalapye. He said that the fire department had taken samples to investigate the cause of the fire. The police boss advised people to be careful when using candles. “Don’t place it near risky house items as they may catch the flame. And put it off before going to bed,” he said.