By Gofaone Koogotsitse

Copyright thevoicebw

Violent youth beaten black and blue by fed-up bus passengers

An unruly herdboy was given a painful reminder to mind his manners and his temper, when, armed with sticks and stones but no mercy, a fed-up mob beat him senseless.

On 2 September, in a scene that trended on Facebook, 23-year-old Tshepang Keobonye was pictured lying unconscious by the side of the road, caked in blood and dust.

He is lucky to be alive, the cops arriving just in time to stop the brutal beating.

The Maboane resident landed himself in trouble with the public, and then the police, when catching a mini-bus from Molepolole to Gaborone.

It seems the chaos was sparked by confusion between the conductor and Keobonye over the change he was owed.

What started as a gruff exchange of words descended into physical violence at Manthso Lands, where the sprinter had stopped to let a passenger off.

An enraged Keobonye is alleged to have stabbed the conductor, Michael Terena, 23, in the shoulder, causing a deep wound to his age-mate.

When the driver, Gotlhe Masiele, 31, tried to intervene, the suspect reportedly plunged his knife into the older man’s right arm, slicing wildly and inflicting another serious gash.

It was at this point the other passengers got involved, wrestling Keobonye to the ground and then giving him the hiding of his young life.

Six days later, appearing before Molepolole Magistrates Court on Monday, the youth bore the evidence of his near brush with death, his head swathed in a thick white bandage and his right eye a swollen red mesh of burst blood vessels.

He found little sympathy in the courtroom.

Facing two counts of unlawful wounding, Keobonye was remanded in custody at the prosecution’s request.

“Investigations are still at an initial stage, victim for count two [Masiele] is hospitalised with serious injuries,” stated Sergeant Thatayaone Marope.

For his part, the accused revealed his head was still throbbing “I woke up only to find myself at the hospital. I’m supposed to attend my check-up after seven days; I’m in pain, my head is aching,” said Keobonye, who was discharged from hospital earlier that day and brought straight to court.

Limping slowly towards the prison van, wincing with every step, the suspect was carted off to jail, where he will remain until his next mention, set for 25 September.

Meanwhile, in a brief interview with The Voice, Molepolole Station Commander, Jacob Molapong, confirmed the dispute was over the bus fare.

“The suspect, who was also a customer, claimed he wanted his change and got furious stabbing the conductor on the shoulder while the conductor claimed he requested the suspect to pay. After that, the suspect ran away and the driver chased him, he also stabbed the driver on the arm,” explained the Superintendent, adding the police arrived on the scene to find the suspect passed out on the floor, bleeding from his head.

All three men were taken to hospital, with the conductor discharged the same day, while Keobonye was judged fit enough to leave on Monday. The bus driver remains at Scottish Livingstone Hospital.