Mosala family rejects second postmortem
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday February 20, 2024 06:00
The police provided the family with a second postmortem report last week, echoing the initial one's conclusion of suicide.
The pathologist asserted that Pedzani died of asphyxia due to hanging but acknowledged limitations. 'It is worth mentioning that this conclusion was drawn without any information and images from the scene of death and images of the body immediately after death as well as previous postmortem images/findings.
Such information may help to establish the manner of death. Postmortem examination for soft tissue injuries such as bruises and contusions were not possible due to the state of decomposition of the body,' stated the pathologist. The family, represented by their attorney Dr Tshepang Makwati, expressed dissatisfaction, instead demanding a more thorough investigation. Makwati questioned the lengthy duration of the process and highlighted the need for an effective inquiry. 'These reports cannot make sense. We want a report from the Nyangabgwe mortuary.
I have no doubt that the girl was killed and then hanged,' he emphasised. Makwati argued that the pathologists' conclusion based on a ligature mark alone was insufficient, urging consideration of the entire sequence of events. He questioned the x-ray revealing a defect in the ribs, emphasising the need for a comprehensive understanding. He expressed skepticism about the circumstances 'looking at the totality of circumstances, it is impossible that she hanged herself'. 'We do not even have the testimony of the Zimbabwean lady who was said to have been there when she was hanging herself,' he said, adding that they would leave no stone unturned. High Court Judge Justice Michael Motlhabi ordered the exhumation of Pedzani Mosala's body and a subsequent postmortem by a government pathologist.
The ruling came on November 30, 2023, following concerns raised by the Mosala family about the mysterious circumstances surrounding Pedzani's death. The case stems from the mysterious death of Pedzani, 22, on November 5, 2023, in the cells at Kutlwano Police Station in Francistown.
The Mosala family initiated legal proceedings against the Commissioner of Police, the Director of Public Prosecution, the Attorney General, and Dr Mukeba Nkashama, demanding an independent pathology test on their daughter's body. Makwati, who represents Pedzani's mother Sapelo Mosala, argued that the circumstances surrounding Pedzani's death warranted an inquest under the Inquests Act. He raised concerns about the secrecy surrounding the autopsy conducted by Dr Nkashama and questioned the objectivity of a pathologist with ties to the Botswana Police Service.
The entire case has raised questions about accountability, transparency, and the actions of those in power. The court documents reveal that, amidst the perplexing circumstances of Pedzani's death, police officers attributed it to suicide by hanging. The family contested this narrative, seeking an exhaustive investigation, access to evidence, an independent autopsy, and the annulment of reports suggesting suicide.
Makwati, the family attorney, raised several questions, including the grounds for Pedzani's detention, the puzzling disappearance of her bloodied clothes, and the conflicting accounts given by the parties involved. The family argued that the circumstances warranted an inquest, accusing the Commissioner of Police of making unlawful and irrational decisions.
The police officers explained Pedzani's death as a suicide by hanging, with a hoodie jacket on a rail as high as a fully grown person's waist, in the presence of an unidentified Zimbabwean inmate.