Sbrana wanted Ndjavera out of its facility
Chakalisa Dube | Friday March 13, 2020 15:45
Yesterday Amantle Batsietswe, the spokesperson at Sabrana said after Ndjavera first absconded from detention, the hospital management felt that it was no longer “practical or safe” to keep him at the hospital.
In April 2016, Ndjavera who is a former soldier was detained at the pleasure of the State President at Sbrana. That was after the Francistown High Court ruled that he was not mentally sound, hence cannot be sent to prison. He appeared before court after he killed his two children in Francistown in 2013. “He first escaped on the 6th of September, 2019. We immediately alerted Good Hope police and they managed to locate him through his family. He was brought back to the hospital three days later,” said Batsietswe. Batsietswe further said immediately after Ndjavera’s first escape, the mental hospital notified the Botswana Prisons Service and a process to return him to the prison began thereafter. “We wanted him to go to prison because we felt that his initial decision to abscond was a clear indication that he can be dangerous hence it was not convenient to continue keeping him (at the hospital). He (Ndjavera) then escaped again on the 4th of October last year and we again reported the matter to Good Hope police. Then, a process to return him to the prison was still at an initial stage. His whereabouts have remained unknown since then (4th October),” she said.
Batsietswe emphasised that the Act governing people detained under the President’s pleasure (in psychiatric facilities) does dictate that they (detainees) can be taken to prison if managing them there (in psychiatric facilities) proves to be a tough task. Ndjavera was arrested last week Wednesday in Francistown. He subsequently appeared at the Francistown Magistrate’s Court where he was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and threat to kill. The two fresh charges relate to an incident that happened last Wednesday in Francistown. The 30-year-old attempted to rob three people using the illegal firearm. People were worshipping at a hill near the Francistown Golf Course. He is said to have in the process, threatened to kill a man who was part of the three worshippers using the aforesaid gun. The attempted murder victim who is a soldier in Francistown is said to have strategically disarmed Ndjavera before the trio sought the intervention of the police.
Mmegi has established that it was difficult to locate Ndjavera (after he absconded for the second time) because he allegedly fled to South Africa. He is alleged to have made his way back to Francistown recently. Sources have also strongly suggested that Ndjavera could have gained access to the gun in South Africa. He has been remanded at the Francistown Centre for Illegal Immigrants where remand prisoners are currently being held because the Francistown Prison is under renovation. He will appear in court for mention next week.