A middle-aged Somali refugee of the Dukwi Refugee Camp in the Ngamiland District has blamed a fellow countryman for leveling false charges against him for allegedly raping his daughter and blamed it all on the hatred of Christian religion by his countrymen.
Adam Mohamed on Wednesday revealed before Chief Magistrate Lorraine Makati Lesang in Francistown that the rape charges laid against him were fabricated and were a result of hatred against his choice of religion.
He pointed out that the father of the complainant, who is also a Somalian immigrant, felt embittered because he (Mohamed) was a Christian, unlike most of the Somalians in the Camp.
Mohamed further brought to the court’s attention that the complainant’s father also felt bitter because he had demanded the money that was owed to him which amounted to P4 500.
He told the court that, as a person who decided to explore Christianity, he had been subjected to hate and is treated as a villain in the camp. This, he said, created enmity against him because for his stand in Christianity. He projected that all Somali people in the camp knew that he was a Christian and this had long caused a feud and his life was not secure.
“There was an incident whereby a house was burnt and the complainant’s father blamed me for burning his house. The time when the incident happened, I was in Letlhakane and I produced a bus ticket to the Police as evidence,” said Mohamed.
He said that he decided to choose Christianity because he wanted to search a true religion and felt that Christianity would suit him better although he maintained that he still believed in Islam.
He pointed out that he had chosen the religion because Botswana was a free country and everyone had the right to choose their own beliefs.
Mohamed further added that the fact that he was a Somalian and decided to choose Christianity, put his life at stake because he was once shot in Somalia after it had been discovered he was passionate about the Christian religion. He indicated that if he ever goes back to Somalia and someone spreads the information, he would be killed.
Giving evidence, the father to the complainant stated that he respected every religion, and treated every one with dignity. He stated that all he wanted was justice for his daughter because he was very sure that the accused man had raped her daughter.
He dismissed the allegations that the life of the accused was threatened by fellow countryman at the camp, clarifying that fellow Somali residents at the camp had implored him to settle the matter outside court as the accused was one of their own.
The Magistrate implored the complainant’s father not to threaten Mohamed’s life and said that everything would be handled by the law.
The case continues as prosecution is yet to call more witnesses.
