20 Oct 2020

A 28-year-old man of Somerset west in Francistown committed suicide by hanging himself after he allegedly slit his 26-year-old girlfriend’s with a sharp instrument, killing her recently.

Kutlwano Police Station commander, Superintendent Neo Serumula confirmed this in an interview  that the man later hung himself inside their rented room.

He said the man might have used a knife as it was found in his possession when he was removed from the rafters of their room.

Supt Serumula said the woman was found lying in a pool of blood and both the deceased were certified dead on arrival at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital where their bodies were still awaiting post-mortem.

He said the man was from Maunatlala in the Tswapong area while the woman was from Themashanga in the North East District.

Supt Serumula explained that police were clueless on what could have led to the incident, but they suspected love affair disputes.

Prior to the incident, Kutlwano police chief said the man, who used a rope to hang himself, was alleged to have sent a text message to his employer, telling him to remain taking care of his child as he was ‘going’.

He said the employer had for several times tried to call the man’s cellphone number, which was off, before informing the police.

The employer, according to Supt Serumula, then phoned the police who rushed to the scene and found the two dead.

He noted that this was the second incident of murder/suicide to have happened in his area of jurisdiction since the beginning of the year.

The first one occurred a month ago when a man killed a Botswana Democratic Party stalwart, Ms Gape Tanjo of Tutume, reminisces Supt Serumulo.

The boyfriend later committed suicide by hanging himself by a nearby pond along the Tati River, in which he had thrown the lifeless body of the girlfriend.

Meanwhile, police in Tatitown are investigating an accident in which three people perished when a mini bus they were travelling in overturned 55 kilometres towards Matsitama turn-off junction along the Francistown-Orapa road on Saturday afternoon.

Tatitown Police Station commander, Superintendent Edward Leposo said the deceased included two women aged 36 and a 46-year-old and a 48-year-old man.

He said the 36-year-old female hailed from Molepolole while the other 46-year-old is from Mopipi in the Boteti Sub-district.

The deceased male was a resident of Mosu, where the mini bus was destined to.

Supt Leposo explained that the mini bus was carrying 11 passengers including the driver, who escaped unhurt.

He said five passengers were admitted at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital under serious conditions while three were admitted and discharged the same day.

He said preliminary police investigations had revealed that the driver of the mini bus lost control after it went out of the road. ENDS