30 Mar 2021

Assistant Commissioner of Botswana Police, Mr Dipheko Motube says police are determined to make more arrests of people who were part of the mob that burnt down government offices including a Kgotla shelter at Lentsweletau main Kgotla on Sunday night.

Mr Motube said in an interview on Monday, that so far police had arrested 24 suspects who were likely to face a charge of malicious damage to property including other charges relating to non compliance of  COVID-19 protocols.

On Sunday, Lentsweletau residents took to the streets allegedly in search for a 32-year-old man, Tebogo Mokokong of Lentsweletau, who it is alleged   went missing from March 17. 

This culminated into a series of incidents of malicious damage to government and privately owned property.

The mob set fire to the kgotla shelter, some parts of the tribal administration offices, a newly built structure for a mortuary, private and government owned motor vehicles as well as property in the house of one senior police officer.

The Police Spokesperson described the incidents as criminal acts. 

Mr Motube said since the matter was reported to the police, it was too early to for residents to make their own conclusions as police were currently dealing with the case of a missing person and investigations into the matter were still  ongoing.

Further Mr Motube revealed that on Sunday, the mob took the police to some place where they believed the victim was buried.  

At the said place police dug up six large deep holes believed to be tombs but there were no remains of the victim save for black cloths and red candles.   

Meanwhile, Lentsweletau/Mmopane MP Ms Nnaniki Makwinja who is also assistant minister of basic education has called for calm in the village.  

She pleaded with residents to let the police do their job in sensitive matters such as this one.  

She cautioned the public to desist from spreading unfounded rumours and allow the right processes to be carried out. 

She further expressed disappointment at the behaviour displayed by the mob who have caused serious damage to not only to government property but also individual property.

Meanwhile the family of the missing man demanded answers of the whereabouts of their son.  

The victim’s uncle 64-year-old Mr Loeto Mokokong told BOPA in an interview that all they wanted was their son or at least his remains so that they can find closure as a family.  

He explained that they did not influence anyone to break the law in anyway.  ends