Mogoditshane: the country�s �murder capital�
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday July 5, 2017 17:15
To buttress the point, two latest murder incidents were committed over the weekend in Tsolamosese and Nkoyaphiri wards, according to the police.
According to Botswana Police statistics, in 2015 and 2016 Mogoditshane policing area recorded 173 and 159 murders respectively. Mogoditshane Police Station covers Gabane, Kopong, Tloaneng, Metsimotlhabe, Gakuto, Gaphatshwa, Mmatseta and Mmopane.
In an interview, superintendent Agreement Mapeu expressed shock about the increase of murder incidents in his policing area. In response, he said they have organised a walk against crime and have invited all churches in Mogoditshane to hold prayers in one place.
“We have decided to partner with churches, call on God’s mercy and pray for peace in this area. The event will be on July 15 and will start with a walk and later prayers by different churches,” Mapeu said. He stated that 38 cases from January to June show that the country is at war with itself.
He said the murder cases usually involve lovers and some are a result of fights at entertainment spots. Mapeu revealed that they are investigating two murders that occurred over the weekend.
He said on Friday they received a report from Tsolamosese where a man aged 66-years was killed and dumped inside a manhole.
He said the man, who was residing alone in his yard at Tsolamosese, was discovered by his neighbours. “On arrival at his yard, they found his door broken with no one inside the house. They searched for him and found him murdered and dumped in a manhole. They alerted us and we managed to recover his body from the manhole,” Mapeu said.
Investigations on the matter are ongoing.
“We have not arrested anyone in connection with his death, hence we plead with members of the public to help us with any information that could help us arrest the culprit,” Mapeu said.
He added that they suspect he might have been strangled since he had no visible wounds.
In another incident in the early hours of Saturday, a thief stabbed to death a 28-year-old man.
“The man was walking home with his girlfriend from entertainment places when a thief attacked them and snatched his girlfriend’s phone. The deceased chased him and when he tried to grab him he stabbed him to death with a knife,” Mapeu said.
He disclosed that they have not arrested any suspect yet because the incident occurred when it was dark and difficult to identify a person.