Mosala’s mysterious death in a cell haunts BPS
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday June 3, 2025 10:00
Having waited for over two years for an inquest report as ordered by Justice Michael Motlhabi of Lobatse High Court, the family is still looking for answers stating that the police have left them in the lurch. Through their attorney, Dr Tshepang Makwati, the family will be instituting legal proceedings demanding the inquest report which they have since requested for. The case originated from the mysterious death of Pedzani, then 22, on November 5, 2023 in a cell at the Kutlwano Police Station in Francistown.
Following the death, not convinced, the Mosala family filed a lawsuit against the Commissioner of Police, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Attorney General and Dr Mukeba Nkashama, demanding an independent pathology test on their daughter’s body.
Dr Makwati, representing Pedzani’s mother, Sapelo, argued that the circumstances surrounding Pedzani’s death warranted an inquest under the Inquests Act. He expressed concerns about the secrecy surrounding the autopsy conducted by Dr Nkashama and questioned the objectivity of a pathologist with ties to the Botswana Police Service (BPS).
The family raised questions about accountability, transparency, and the actions of those in power. Makwati listed numerous queries, such as the reasons behind Pedzani’s detention, the mysterious disappearance of her bloodied clothes, and the contradictory versions presented by the involved parties.
The Mosala family had sought a court order, including the exhumation of Pedzani’s body, a full investigation, access to evidence, an independent autopsy, and the setting aside of reports claiming suicide.
They asserted that the circumstances demand an inquest, accusing the Commissioner of Police of unlawful and irrational decisions. On November 30, 2023, Justice Motlhabi ruled that the Commissioner of Police shall facilitate and conduct exhumation or cause to be exhumed the body of Pedzani at their own cost within seven days from the date of the order.
Moreover, the Commissioner was ordered to secure the services of a government pathologist to conduct a postmortem on the body of Pedzani within a reasonable time from the date of the order.
“The Commissioner shall compile a docket and forward same to the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide after the conduct of the postmortem pursuant to order above,” Motlhabi emphasised.
The police would then provide the family with a second postmortem report, echoing the initial one's conclusion of suicide.
The pathologist asserted that Pedzani died of asphyxia due to hanging but acknowledged limitations.
'It is worth mentioning that this conclusion was drawn without any information and images from the scene of death and images of the body immediately after death as well as previous postmortem images/ findings. Such information may help to establish the manner of death. Postmortem examination for soft tissue injuries such as bruises and contusions were not possible due to the state of decomposition of the body,' stated the pathologist.
The family, would however not be satisfied and filed a lawsuit demanding millions of pula in compensation. According to Makwati, in order to fully pursue the compensation lawsuit, they needed the inquest report which they have not seen and have since threatened court action against the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and BPS.
Earlier this year, Makwati wrote to the DPP and the PS stating that they sought to find out the progress from them regarding the inquest thus far, given the protracted period of time since the incident, yet without any success, and without any updates.
Whilst Makwati wrote with hope to receive the information in this regard within 10 working days in order to allow the client to map the way forward, there has been no response.
“This communication is further, a statutory notice, should our client decide to institute proceedings to compel relevant action on your part,” he wrote.
Speaking to Mmegi this week, Sapelo Mosala lamented that they are still in the dark about what truly transpired after some BPS senior police officers visited her home last winter.
“We are disappointed at how things are going, but we will not give up. (Since) some officers visited us last winter and said they would get back to us after completing investigations in Francistown. They never got back to us,” she said.
For his part, Makwati expressed disappointment that the Police and DPP are throwing them from pillar to post.
“It is sad to see what is unfolding. We are talking about someone’s life lost and the Police seem not to care. We have approached their attorneys to question about the inquest report or docket as ordered by Justice Motlhabi. They told us the file was submitted to the DPP in Francistown. When I enquired there, they told me they are not aware of the matter. It can only further raise our suspicions that she was murdered and they could be covering up for one another,” he said.
The family sought answers which they have been denied amongst other things, the following:
*The case Number (CR), charges and witness/complainant statements pursuant to which the deceased was detained at the time of her death;
* The names and other details of the arresting officer and arresting statement indicating the clothes that the deceased was wearing when she was detained;
* The names and rank of the cell officer on duty at the time the deceased allegedly committed suicide;
*The full names and ID number of the Zimbabwean cellmate who was allegedly present when the deceased hung herself;
* The CR Number and charges pursuant to which the alleged Zimbabwean detainee was detained;
* The date of release of the alleged Zimbabwean cellmate and her whereabouts;
* How the BPS intends to secure the presence of the alleged Zimbabwean national to give evidence given her status as the key and only witness to the alleged suicide Pedzani;
*The radiology images conducted on the body of the deceased; *The cell register relevant to the date of detention and death of the deceased;
* The Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital’s mortuary report pertaining to the condition of the deceased’s body upon receipt into the hospital mortuary.