Old Naledi’s terror kid on wanted list
Pini Bothoko | Tuesday August 15, 2023 06:00
Phoki was fatally shot by the police last Wednesday, Opinions on his death have been divided across social media platforms. While some observed the young man, a Hubona native on the outskirts of Mathangwane village, others acknowledged his actions as problematic.
Many believed that if he hadn’t been killed, he might have eventually taken an innocent citizen’s life due to his alleged terrorising behaviour. The police reported that the deceased was a wanted individual, linked to a range of crimes including robbery, housebreaking, and theft, causing distress amongst Gaborone’s residents.
One notable incident involved him reportedly assaulting a police officer during duty, leaving the officer seriously injured, a matter that left the Old Naledi community reeling in shock. During a Kgotla meeting addressed by the Minister of Defence and Security, Kagiso Mmusi, earlier this year, residents pleaded for increased safety measures for police officers, who were facing abuse from some community members. Botswana Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Dipheko Motube shared that the deceased had been on the police wanted list since 2016 for various pending criminal cases. These cases included multiple instances of armed robbery and housebreaking within and around Gaborone.
“For years Old Naledi police have been on their toes because of the deceased, he was wanted for three cases of armed robbery alleged to have been committed in and around Gaborone,” he said. Additionally, he had nine cases involving theft from individuals within Gaborone. He was also charged with obstructing police officers while they performed their duties. “On different occasions when police officers were doing patrols at night for example closing bars and shebeens that had operated beyond stipulated hours, the deceased would obstruct them from performing their duties because he was a feared man in the area.
Some officers were even afraid of him following the incident of the assault of their colleague that left him hospitalised with serious injuries,” Motube said. On the day of the fatal encounter, police were attempting to arrest the individual, but he resisted and engaged in a physical confrontation. He threw stones at police officers and attacked them with offensive weapons. Consequently, the confrontation escalated, resulting in a fatal shooting. The incident has sparked discussions about law enforcement procedures, community safety, and the challenging dynamics between the police and certain segments of the population.