Assault victim: ‘Police asked me to show mercy to the one that beat me’
Elisa Motsai (25) said she spent five months in an abusive relationship that nearly cost her her life
LIMPOPO – A woman from Relela village in Bolobedu, outside Tzaneen, is fearing for her life after she said police failed to arrest a man who is said to have brutally assaulted her.
Elisa Motsai (25) told CV her boyfriend, believed to be a teacher, kicked her in the stomach several times and forced her to terminate her pregnancy.
She opened a case on 22 December and said she hadn’t heard from the police since.
Motsai said she spent five months in an abusive relationship that nearly cost her her life, thinking that one day the man would change.
“I have been beaten to a pulp, kicked in the stomach and forced to abort my baby.
“When I finally went to the police in Lulekani, they begged me to have mercy on my boyfriend as he might lose his job,” she said.
She said the police advised her to speak about the matter as a family and withdraw the case she managed to make.
“Weeks later when I enquired about the case, the investigating officer told me that the case was struck off the roll due to a lack of evidence.”
She said she had met the man through social media, and after weeks of conversation, went to visit him at the house he rented in Lulekani, outside Phalaborwa.
“He told me he was not married. Three months later he started disrespecting me and cheating on me. He became aggressive and short-tempered.”
Motsai said one evening, he told her that he no longer wanted their baby.
“When I refused to have an abortion, he kicked me in the stomach. He beat me up almost every day and threatened to kill me should I report him to the police.”
She said she finally gave in to his wishes to have the baby terminated, “because it was the only way in which I could get him to stop beating me”.
After a failed termination effort at traditional healers, she ended up at Mankweng Hospital where the baby was terminated.
After that, the man’s phone was switched off for three days.
“Then he and his mother came to the hospital, and forced me to bury my dead baby at his grandmother’s house in Lulekani without the consent or knowledge of my parents,” explained Motsai.
On Friday, Limpopo Police Spokesperson, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo however said the reason Motsai had not heard from the police was because she had in fact, withdrawn the case.
“According to our investigation, the complainant sent an SMS and called the suspect saying she no longer wanted to continue with the case. That is why the matter was withdrawn.”
He said despite this, the police have re-instated the case and will send the findings to the Director of Public Prosecution for an answer on the way forward.
