Man who shot his Zimbabwean employee in Botswana said he was acting on self defence

Keitumetse Khunou, the man who allegedly shot and broke his Zimbabwean employee's arms, has told a Francistown High Court that he acted in self defence.

Now, nearly 2 years after the brutal incident, the wheels of justiuce have finally started turning and yesterday the 24-year old Gift Ncube who is a permanent cripple, stood in the dock as he narrated his ordeal.

He told Justice Zibani Makhwade that it was through God's grace that he was still alive after the shooting which left him with both arms broken.

He told the court that on the fateful day, Khunou who was armed with a shot gun repeatedly fired at him four times as he tried to dodge the bullets and screaming for help. "The first shot grazed me on the forehead because I ducked. The second bullet caught me on my left arm, the third caught me on my right arm and the last shot went through my chest and I fell down," Ncube said.

He explained that he had just gone to seek payment after clearing two and half hectares at Khunou's field in Radisele village.

The young man said the whole tragedy turned him from an able person who survived through tenders, to a complete beggar who can't do anything for himself.

Khunou's lawyer Kgololesego Segabo however told court that his client acted in self defence claiming and that Ncube had been fuming with rage armed with an Okapi Knife.

Segabo also applied that the case be adjourned and asked the court for the inspection of the piece of land in question, so as to prove the credibility of Ncube's testimony.

The case continues with prosecutors Moffat Dick, Neo Machola and Kemoabetswe Mareme representing the state while Khunou is represented by Segabo.