DPP studies docket on Maun fatal shooting

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Friday September 25, 2009 00:00

DPP Public Relations Officer Agbail Hlabano  confirmed that they are still studying the docket, which has just been forwarded to them by the police.

'The office of the DPP acknowledges that they have just received the docket, regarding the matter and the contents are still being studied.  After careful consideration, the DPP is to make a decision on the next legal processes to be undertaken,' Hlabano said in a written response.

Sephiri was shot at his home at Sanyedi ward in Maun.  His offence was that he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  He was killed a day before he was supposed to return to his work place in Francistown.

He was accosted by the police as he was leaving to check on a relative and tell the maternal relative that he would be returning to Francistown the following day.  His relatives said, the police dragged him to the family homestead where they shot him.
According to his relatives, Sephiri was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

Apparently the police were on patrol following a street robbery.  There was a report to the police about people who had been robbed of a cellphone.

When the police followed up the case, one of the police officers came armed with an AK47 assault rifle.

Sources said the police had mistaken Sephiri for the alleged robber when they shot him.  Sephiri's relatives said he was never aggressive towards the police to warrant the fatal shooting.

His brother, Eratang Sephiri, said they are still in the dark about what is happening. However, Sephiri said they have not lost hope that justice will take its course.   He said the family is poor but they are also entitled to  justice.

Last week, his father tried to get the latest information from Maun police but was told that the senior officers were not available.

Sephiri said they tried to engage a lawyer but he told the family that he would only take action after he has been given a report by the police.

The deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Kenny Kapinga confirmed that they have forwarded the docket to the DPP.

Sephiri was just one of the numerous casualties of security agents.  Since last year, more than 10 people have died under police fire.

In most of the cases, the police claimed that they were returning fire at talleged robbers.  The security agents always claimed that the alleged robbers shot at them first.  But the security agents never suffer casualties, leading people to question whether they are telling the truth.  There has been a public outcry about the extra-judicial killings.   
One of the extra-judicial killing incidents that shocked the nation was the shooting of John Kalafatis who died under a hail of bullets in Gaborone's Extension 12. The soldiers who allegedly shot Kalafatis execution style, have not yet been brought to book.