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Death row inmate says he was provoked when he killed

Gobuamang Ntsuape
 
Gobuamang Ntsuape

Ntsuape, who was convicted last year after pleading guilty to two counts of murder and four counts of attempted murder, said this on Thursday when he appeared for mitigation before Gaborone High Court judge, Barnabas Nyamadzabo.

The convict has been on death row since May 12, 2022 for killing the mother of his ex-girlfriend. Speaking from the dock last week, Ntsuape said he had not intended to kill anyone when he had wrestled the steering wheel with the driver on December 1, 2016, explaining that he was forced to react in the manner he did because of 'unkind words' from the driving police officer.

He admitted that in doing so he over-reacted. Asked to say what those provocative words were, Ntsuape said the officer had nastily told him that he should be tried quickly and be hanged so that the nation and relatives of those he had killed would find peace. Meanwhile, Dr Pal Sidandi, a psychiatrist who examined Ntsuape, gave a detailed report of a man with a long history of aggression dating back to his early days a child, through to his days as a student and a grown-up man. The case resumes in March when Ntsuape is expected to wrap up his mitigation.