Iuze Mukube

State prosecutor Ethel Ndlovu has accused a 65-year-old woman of lying under oath to protect her son, who is facing charges of murder, rape, kidnapping, and obstructing or defeating the course of justice.

Klementa Masinako testified before the High Court yesterday that she was aware of the romantic relationship between her son, Abel Mokalabatho (29), and the late Anna Geinamseb (27), who was allegedly murdered, raped and kidnapped four years ago in Drimiopsis, Omaheke region.

Taking the witness stand before Judge Naomi Shivute, Masinako insisted that her son and Geinamseb were in a relationship. 

She claimed to have known the deceased before she became involved with Mokalabatho, as they had both lived in the same camp.

“She even used to come to my house to help with washing dishes, cleaning and looking after the children,” Masinako testified.

However, she hesitated when asked whether she was aware that Geinamseb had a one-year-old child before her death on 20 August 2020, admitting that she neither knew about the baby nor had ever seen her with one.

Ndlovu challenged Masinako’s version, revealing that Mokalabatho had previously confessed before two magistrates that he did not even know Geinamseb’s name and that he followed her to a public toilet, where he raped her.

“How could Mokalabatho have been in a relationship with Geinamseb for over a year without knowing her name?” Ndlovu questioned.

She further argued that State witnesses had testified that the accused had met the deceased for the first time, shortly before her death, contradicting Masinako’s claim that they had been together for over a year.

Additionally, the prosecution highlighted Mokalabatho’s previous confession, in which he admitted to following Geinamseb to a toilet, threatening her, and raping her—a version he now denies, asserting that they were in a consensual relationship.

“If they were truly in a relationship, why was it necessary for him to force her from the toilet to his house, where he raped her again?” Ndlovu pressed.

The prosecutor maintained that Masinako was in court out of love for her son and was willing to do whatever she could to support him, including claiming that he and the deceased were in a relationship.

During cross-examination, Mokalabatho’s defence counsel, Mbanga Siyomunji, asked Masinako how she would respond if accused of fabricating her testimony to support her son.

“I am speaking based on what I heard and saw. The deceased used to go to my son’s place to sleep,” she replied.

“I came to speak the truth. I do not know about other things because I was not present, but what I know, is I am telling the truth,” she insisted.

– mukubeiuze@gmail.com