Botswana police record rise in missing persons
Brilliant Manje | Monday January 19, 2026 16:49
In an interview with BTV News recently, Police Commissioner Dinah Marathe revealed that analysis of crimes registered in December showed a notable rise in missing persons compared to the same period in 2024, with young people making up the majority of those reported missing.
Marathe attributed many of the cases to serious social challenges, including drug abuse, defilement, and murder. She pointed to weak family supervision as a major contributing factor, warning that children left alone for long periods are more likely to make risky and life-threatening decisions.
“Poor guardianship in families leaves children home alone and unattended, leading them to make dangerous decisions,” she said. The commissioner explained that in many instances, young people disappear without informing their families and only to resurface after several days. This, she noted, causes distress amongst parents who then report them as missing to the police.
“When questioned, the children often say, I went to visit my friend,” Marathe said. She also cautioned parents about the growing dangers associated with unsupervised use of social media by children, warning that online interactions increasingly expose them to serious harm.
Marathe called for greater parental involvement and community responsibility to help curb the rising trend and protect children from dangers that can be easily prevented.