Murdered teacher's father dies from related depression

 

Jenamo Sephonono (58), the father of murdered former Taung Junior Secondary teacher, Thato Sephonono, has also died.

Thato was allegedly killed by her son, Kitso Sephonono early this year at the teacher’s residence where the duo stayed. According to a close family member, the old man never came to terms with the fact that his grandson had murdered his daughter.

“It has always been a sore topic to discuss. It pained him a lot until he died last week Wednesday. We are not really sure what led to his death, we just assume that his body was weakened by pain. He collapsed on Monday and was rushed to the hospital, two days later he died. We buried him this past Sunday,” a family member said.

Prior to his death, the family had informed the old man that Kitso would be in court this week and that he (Kitso) had asked that the family help him with bail money as he is finding prison to be very unbearable.

“The family is not ready to have Kitso here. It is even sad that he had at one point threatened that his grandfather was next in line. He threatened to kill the old man because he was among those who always rebuke him whenever he misbehaved,” the family said.

BACKGROUND

When The Midweek Sun ran the story of Kitso allegedly killing his mother early this year, reliable sources alleged that Kitso was found naked and seemingly intoxicated when the police arrived at the crime scene.

The mother was lying motionless on the floor. She had a deep cut on her forehead indicating that she was stabbed. Thato’s close friends alleged that her son always troubled her.

“It was a very toxic mother-son relationship. Kitso often abused her mother and always demanded that he gives him money. Thato was sinking in debts. Her house was empty. He sold all her furniture and household items.”

Kitso is a former Kagiso Senior Secondary School student.

He completed his Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education two years back. A few of his former teachers who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity described him as a relatively reserved child. He was more of a loner, never into groups, they said.

“He was not an ill-mannered student either, he was well-behaved but I do remember that there were often rumours that he was found smoking during school time but those were never really confirmed,” one teacher said.

A peep into Kitso’s social media life suggests that a few days before allegedly killing his mother, he spent much time talking about sex. In one post, he suggested that he was so stressed and the only thing that could relieve him was ‘Phusi’ (sic).

In another post, he hinted that almost a month had gone by without anyone touching him, while in another he pleaded that girls should not shy away from asking him for sex as he won’t say no.

Social media was awash with suggestions that he may have even raped his mother before killing her, but the police rubbished such reports, saying no such thing happened. Superintendent Tau confirmed there was no evidence or sign of rape.