COVID-19 rule breaker 'resisted arrest'

Pini Bothoko | Thursday September 3, 2020 15:34

 

Reached for comment following the video going viral across social media platforms, the Botswana Police Service’s (BPS) Public Relations Officer, assistant commissioner Dipheko Motube denied the alleged assault.

“There was no assault as alleged.  The Mogoditshane police officers stopped and questioned the man who was walking in public without a facemask and he resisted arrest. Obviously, when a person is resisting arrest there will be physical contact, but the suspect was never assaulted as alleged,” Motube said. 

Motube stated that the 35-year-old suspect of Ragontse ward in Mogoditshane was charged with failure to wear a facemask. He stated that the law is clear on facemasks in public, as a person would be in violation of one of the COVID-19 regulations if they went without putting on one.

Contrary to what Motube said, witnesses were left distressed at the scene where in the video clip a male voice was heard saying, “Hee kana ba mo gata, waitseeeee kana,” whilst another female voice screamed, “Se bolayeng motho la ikgolega, oooooh Modimo, ao Modimo”.