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Tuesday, 30 January, 2001, 10:49 GMT
South African woman to hang
![]() Mariette Bosch maintained her innocence throughout
By Greg Barrow in Lobatse, Botswana
A South African woman is likely to be hanged in Botswana following the failure of her appeal against the death sentence Mariette Bosch has been on death row for almost a year after a court found her guilty of murdering her best friend Ria Wolmerans.
Earlier this month, a panel of Commonwealth judges heard her appeal but decided she did not have a case. Not convincing The judges said that Mrs Bosch had concocted an incredible and implausible story in an attempt to convince them of her innocence.
Many local people who turned out to hear the verdict celebrated the decision of the appeal court judges. Some danced and sang saying that Mrs Bosch will be rightfully punished for murder. President's decision Mariette Bosch's only hope of escaping the death sentence is a presidential pardon. But in a country where the government supports capital punishment clemency is unlikely. If that does not come then Mrs Bosch will become the first white woman in Botswana's history to be hanged. The case has attracted international attention and has been dubbed 'Botswana's white mischief' after the famous book about love betrayal in colonial Kenya.
The barrister, Desmond de Silva, said Mrs Bosch's trial had been riddled with judicial errors and he suggested that one of the prosecution witnesses should have been considered a suspect in the murder. The appeal was heard in front of a panel of Commonwealth judges, who are called in as the final court of appeal under Botswana law. |
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