16 Mar 2021

Maun police are investigating an incident in which a decomposed body of a 30-year- old man was found in the bush at Xhiega cattle post in the outskirts of Chanoga village.

Maun station commander, Superintendent Chenamo Orateng confirmed the incident, noting that the deceased originated from Xhiega cattle post and was found motionless on the ground on Sunday  by some villagers following a massive search for him.

He explained that the deceased, last seen on the March 9, was suspected to have committed suicide as a piece of a rope was discovered around his neck while the other piece was hanging on the tree next to him.

A post mortem, Superintendent Orateng said was conducted at the scene and the body was handed over to the family for burial as it was in a bad state.

Meanwhile, Chanoga’s Kgosi Oateng Setlhodi, who was at the scene, explained that the villagers  were shocked by the incident.

He noted that prior to the incident, he received a request from the police to look for a safe shelter for the deceased’s girlfriend as he had assaulted her.

According to Kgosi Setlhodi, police informed him that it was not the first time he abused his girlfriend.

He said they contacted Women Against Rape (WAR) who came to their rescue.

Since the girlfriend was from Khakhea in the Southern District, Kgosi Setlhodi said he contacted his counterpart in Khakhea, who alerted her family about the issue.

An arrangement, he said, was made to assist her to go back home and on Sunday they were shocked to receive the news that her boyfriend had committed suicide.

Kgosi Setlhodi revealed that issues of gender based violence were worrisome in his village.

He recalled that the last incident was a murder case that involved a middle-aged man who murdered his partner.

He expressed concern about some women who reported gender based violence related cases and later withdrew them.

He also said they had learnt that some affected parties reconciled on their own while some women did not report the incidents completely.

The traditional leader appealed to members of the public to stop the act, noting that withdrawing of cases could have serious consequences for the affected women, their communities and the society at large.

By dropping charges, he said victims were interfering with justice and urged the public to join forces with government to curb gender based violence. Ends