Sex scandal of the year
Koketso Kgoboge | Friday December 23, 2016 13:02
The incident arose from a purported Facebook conversation between the then assistant minister of Education and Skills Development, Fidelis Molao, and councillor Amon. Molao denied the Facebook conversation with Amon saying that his Facebook account was hacked.
Police later seized a laptop belonging to a Botswana Congress Party (BCP) activist, Motlhaleemang Moalosi, alleging that the purported Facebook conversation between Molao and Amon originated from the laptop.
Moalosi later approached the high court on a certificate of urgency seeking the court to rule that the continued keeping of his laptop by the police was academically prejudicing him.
Moalosi lost the case with costs before Justice Barnabas Nyamadzabo of the Francistown High Court who said it has not be stated how Moalosi who described himself as a computer expert and is currently pursuing a programme of Master of Science in Computer Science, would fail to have back-up for such an important material as his research project.
Later, no charges were laid against Amon because he allegedly impregnated a girl who was above the age of consenting to sex.
The Amon issue riled youth members of the BCP and Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) who went to Sebina to hand a petition to the late Kgosi Kgakanyane Sebina of Sebina. This case has set tongues wagging across the country with people questioning the priorities of politicians in particular. The young turks wanted Amon to resign from his position as councillor for Sebina following allegations that he impregnated a school child. The Amon saga showed great disparities inherent between the Penal Code and Childrenís Act.
According to the Penal Code, the age of consenting to sex in Botswana is 16 years while the Childrenís Act states that a child is anyone below the age of 18. Recently, new specially elected MP Bogolo Kenewendo tabled a motion before the National Assembly calling for the age of consent to be increased from 16 to 18.
Kamwendo wants Parliament to resolve to amend the provisions of the Penal Code (Cap 08:01) to be in line with the provisions of Childrenís Act (Cap 28:01).
According to the Section 147 of the Penal Code, any person who unlawfully and carnally knows any girl under the age of 16 is guilty of an offence and is liable to imprisonment for life, with or without corporal punishment.
The Penal Code further says, Any person who attempts to have unlawful carnal knowledge of any girl under 16 years is guilty of an offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years with or without corporal punishment.