22 Nov 2021

A Judicial inquiry into the deaths of Martin Nchindo, Ernest Nchindo, Tommy Nchindo and Sinvula Munyene who were shoot by Botswana Defence Force anti-poaching unit

Mooketsi Mojalemotho reports on events day of the Inquest ( Nov 18) Witness number 18 - Mr Meshack Mahela Prior to his demise on that fateful day, Tommy Nchindo, had made two successive calls to one Cassius Mwala asking for tobacco.

This was said by 26-year-old Meshack Mahela when giving his evidence in-chief The Kasika village native had to employ the services of an interpreter, as he preferred to give his narrative in Sesobeya.

“I, Cassius Mwala and Sinsindi were at Mwala’s camp waiting for the fourth person to come before we went to fish. However our mission was later aborted because the fourth person never pitched-up,” he said.

Whilst at Mwala’s place of abode, Mahela said Tommy Nchindo called Mwala on his cell phone telling him that he would pass by to ask for tobacco on his way to the river where he was going to fish.

Tommy, according to Mahela called for the second time moments later and this time around told Cassius that he was no longer coming to get tobacco as initially planned.

“He told Cassius that he would come in the morning without advancing reasons for sudden change of heart.

At this point I also retraced my steps back home where upon arrival I heard gun shots,” he said. Wen he heard the shots, Mahela did not waste time, but straightaway telephoned Cassius and asked him where the gunshots could be coming from.

Cassius responded by asking Mahela to wait while he went outside the house to establish the direction from which the gunshots came.

“He told me the gun shots were coming from the Botswana side at Kasikili, what you refer to as Sedudu.” Attempts by the duo to call Nchindo hit a snag as his phone rang unanswered.

The final attempt got the two worried: Tommy’s phone was now off. He continued: “At this point I left for Cassius’ place where we proceeded towards the direction of Sedudu Island, the Pangolin house boat to be precise, which is on the Namibia side.

While still trying to figure out of what was happening on the Botswana side of the border, we heard three rounds of gunfire.

This was around 1am just after midnight. “Subsequent to the three gun shots, we heard what sounded like things were being loaded into a boat,” he said. At this point DPP’s Wasson Manchwe asked Mahela to state in clear terms the boat he was referring to.

“We could not see clearly since it was at night but the baggage went into a BDF boat before the light of this specific vessel headed the direction of the BDF Camp, “ he said adding that the second boat only left at 2am.

According to Mahela, he and Cassius returned to the Pangolin boat house early November 6, 2020 and took with them a pair of binoculars which they used to get a better view of happenings on the Botswana side of the boarder.

“We were able to see boats and men that stood in a circle.

Unfortunately we could not see beyond the wall of bodies of these men,” he said. Witness number 19 – Gilbert Mafwila Another witness, Gilbert Mafwila, 43, a tour guide claimed he was able to see BDF soldiers standing in a circle through the aid of binoculars. 

He relayed he was able to see not only plastics bags containing four objects in the middle of the army men on the Southern channel of Sedudu Island which is the Botswana side. He also saw a BDF Land cruiser, two boats and a truck.

Witness number 20 – Lister Nyambe The 32 year-old stated he was able to see through the assistance of Vortex binoculars, body bags from an estimate distance of five to seven kilometres.

Nyambe who works for Chobe Water Villa on the Namibia side of the border and along the riverbank stated however he did not hear gunshots on the night of the incident because he had closed all the windows of his room and was putting on headsets at that material time. ENDS