11 Aug 2020

Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi, told Parliament on August 10 that he is aware that a 17-year-old boy of Serorome ward in Palapye was reported missing on May 7, 2019.

Minister Mmusi explained that police mounted a search immediately after receiving the report.

He pointed out that the search proved futile and village leadership was informed about the missing boy and thereafter a kgotla meeting was called on June 26, 2019 where the community was requested to assist in the search for the missing boy.

He said more than 200 people participated in the search.

Minister Mmusi said in order to further engage the public, information about the boy was also circulated as a missing person through the Botswana Police Service facebook page and  Botswana Television.

He said it was therefore not accurate to say that the public was not requested to assist in searching for the missing child.

Mr Mmusi further said two people were charged with murder of the missing boy and the matter had been committed for trial at Francistown High Court, adding that under the circumstances there was no need to engage external investigators.

He said he was not aware that parents of the missing child felt unfair treatment due to their poverty status, saying they were ‘always appraised on the progress of investigations.’

Minister Mmusi said the two people charged for the murder were a Motswana and a Zimbabwean illegal immigrant.

He was responding to a question from Palapye MP, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi, who asked the minister if he was aware that there was a missing child in Serorome ward in Palapye and if so, he should state why the public had not been requested to assist in searching for the missing child as done in the past in other areas.

He also asked the minister why he had not engaged the Scotland yard police investigators as it happened with the ‘Segametsi Mogomotsi’ case in Mochudi and whether he was aware that parents of the missing child felt that they were being treated differently because of their poverty status. ENDS