BPS processing Samotse�s extradition

Chakalisa Dube | Thursday April 21, 2016 11:48

 

“We have since been notified about his (Samotse) arrest. As I speak, we have started the normal extradition process with the assistance of South African authorities and concerned stakeholders in Botswana,” said police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Witness Boseja in an interview with Mmegi yesterday.

Early this week the police had professed gnorance of his whereabouts.

Reports emerged recently in the South African media that Samotse was arrested in connection with four robbery offences and is currently in custody at Polokwane state prison awaiting trial. Samotse is wanted for the murder of his girlfriend in Francistown more than five years ago.

“At the moment I cannot shed much details because the matter is very sensitive. It involves a lot of legal issues and governments of two countries so it is best I don’t go into specifics. We only share more details with external stakeholders when there is need to do so,” added Bosija.

Last week the spokesperson in South Africa’s Department of Justice, Mthunzi Mhaga, said that Botswana has not made a request for the extradition of Samotse.

 Samotse escaped from the custody of prison officials at Nyangabwe Referral Hospital (NRH) in October 2014. It was the second time he had escaped from custody.

Samotse initially fled immediately after killing his girlfriend. He would later be arrested and placed in custody while SA and Botswana were discussing his extradition.

At the time of his second escape,  Samotse was receiving medical assistance at NRH. It was just days after South Africa had mistakenly extradited him to Botswana.

Botswana has insisted that it cannot guarantee that Samotse would not get the death penalty if found guilty of the murder.

On the other hand SA has maintained that Samotse, who has been labelled ‘explosive and dangerous’ cannot be extradited without assurance that he will not face the death penalty if convicted of the murder.