03 Oct 2018

Police are investigating an incident where four family members died after drinking a concoction suspected to be a traditional medicine at Romane cattle post near Sehithwa on September 28.

Officer commanding Senior Superintendent Peter Gochela confirmed in an interview that they were investigating the incident in which a 56-year-old man together with his three grand children aged between three and four died while the deceased’s two sons aged 18 and 21 and two other grand children aged between one and two were admitted at Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital in Maun.

Narrating the ordeal, Senior Superintendent Gochela revealed that a neighbour, who reported the matter to the police, explained that the old man together with other affected members of the family drank the medicine and after some few minutes they started vomiting and experiencing diarrhoea.

They were all rushed to the hospital and four were certified died on arrival while the rest were admitted.

The police chief said the concoction had been taken to the laboratory to check if it was poisonous while the deceased await post-mortem.

Senior Superintendent Gochela also reported that police had embarked on a massive search of four suspects in connection with incidents of rape that took place on Independence Day at Boseja ward.

He said they had recorded four cases in which four different women were raped at night in different occasions.

One of the victim, he said, was a student at Maun Senior Secondary School who was attacked while going back to school from the shops at around 8pm.

The victim was said to be a boarding student while the second victim was raped while on her way to entertainment places.

The third victim was said to be on her way to check her grandmother and while the fourth victim was from the entertainment with some male friends.

The police chief said the victim, together with her friends, had slept at the same house and one of her friends allegedly sneaked and raped her.

Senior Superintendent Gochela expressed concern at the alarming incidents of rape in his policing area, noting that it was disturbing as all recorded cases happened in one day in one village.

Still in Maun, it was reported that police have embarked on a search to retrieve the body of a middle-aged woman who drowned in Thamalakane River next to the new bridge.

The police chief said they received a report on October 1 from some members of the community who witnessed the incident, adding that they suspected that the woman wanted to commit suicide.  

Senior Superintendent Gochela also reported that they recorded a robbery incident involving a 47-year-old woman who was attacked by two unknown men while sleeping at night and took away her car.

The car, he said was found dumped by the road at Boseja ward on Monday while the culprits were still at large.

He appealed to the members of the community to assist the police with information leading to the arrest of the suspects.

Besides, the recorded incidents, Senior Superintendent Gochela said in other areas the community celebrated independence peacefully. ENDS