Police Make Breakthrough In Tlokweng Rape, Robbery Case
Pini Bothoko | Monday March 12, 2018 18:42
Three culprits allegedly attacked a family of Masetheng ward at Tlokweng village, robbed them of money amounting to P12,000 and raped three women in the process.
The Botswana Police Service’s (BPS) director of crime intelligence, Nunu Lesetedi confirmed the arrests to The Monitor, revealing to have arrested someone who confessed to the offence.
Allegations flying about had been that the attack was a result of a deal gone wrong for the husband which put his family in mortal danger. However Lesetedi swiftly dismissed the allegations, stating that their investigations have not yet established such claims.
He said that last week Wednesday they arrested five suspects in connection to a similar incident that occurred in Palapye two weeks ago and one suspect confessed his part in the Tlokweng incident.
“Ever since the incident (in Tlokweng) occurred mid last month, we have been hunting for suspects and luckily through our investigations we have made a breakthrough because someone confessed.
We are in search of the other suspects who are still on the run,” Lesetedi said.
Lesetedi said the five suspects, Oteng Mathibe 28, Moemedi Seipei 26, Tshephang Omkgonne 26, Kabelo Mathibe 31 and Lame Toki 34 arrested in connection to Palapye incident, are currently in custody helping the police with investigations.
He said the five are suspected to have recently attacked, robbed and raped two sisters in front of their brother in Serorome ward at Palapye village.
“The incident resembles what transpired at Tlokweng recently where intruders attacked a family, robbing them and raping three women, a wife and her two sisters-in-law (husband’s cousins) in front of her husband,” Lesetedi said.
In the Tlokweng incident, The Monitor has learnt that on that fateful night the suspects attacked the family around 10pm and allegedly spent the whole night with them before leaving their house early in the morning.
It was revealed that after invading the house whilst the family was still awake watching television, the suspects tied up the husband and raped his wife and his two cousins in his presence.
They allegedly took the husband’s ATM card and went to the ATM machine and withdraw money amounting to P12,000 and on their return they continued to rape the women once more.
Lesetedi said the suspects are alleged to have recently attacked and robbed Chinese and Indians families on two different occasions at Palapye village.
“They attacked Chinese family, robbed them of jewellery worth P17,800 and money amounting to P5,000. In another incident, the quintet is suspected to have attacked an Indian family and robbed them of jewellery worth P314,000 and raped two sisters in front of their brother,” Lesetedi said.
Lesetedi revealed that after their arrests, all of the suspects had their blood samples taken for DNA tests to cross check whether they were involved in the Tlokweng incident or not.
He raised concern of this new crime trend in which criminals choose to steal from people and go to an extent of sexual assaulting them.
“Such occurrence is cruelty at its best. Just imagine a wife being raped in front of her husband. It is an awful incident and a traumatising thing to the victims,” Lesetedi said.
Meanwhile, Lesetedi revealed that the police are also investigating a case in which suspects broke into a post office at Sebina village on February 4, 2018 and stole money amounting to P183,000.
“We have arrested Tswenyego Lesego 24, Otsilegape Mmele 24, Lesego Gasewarona and Tlotlo Motlogelwa 20 in connection to the offense.
“All of the accused persons are originate in the southern part of Botswana at Gabane and Moshupa villages respectively. We suspect that they might have traveled to Sebina village for the operation. The quartet was arrested in Gaborone last Tuesday,” he said.
He stated that on the fateful night, the trio entered the post office premises, tied up the security guard and blasted the post office’s door.
“On their arrest we found one of them in possession of money amounting to P6 500, another one in possession of R203.
“Our investigations have revealed that one of them recently purchased a Toyota Runx at the sum of P32 000. Investigations into the matter are ongoing to establish how that car was purchased,” Lesetedi said.