Is the public safe from SSG guns?

LEKOPANYE MOOKETS
Correspondent | Wednesday January 13, 2010 00:00

 

*Are members of the public safe from deranged armed officers?

*Police Chief say the SSG armoury security is tight

*Police officers doubt the trauma and depression counselling they recieve.

There is a concern over the safe keeping of guns at the Special Support Group (SSG) armoury following two fatal incidents in which weapons were smuggled out of the police camp. The guns, which were smuggled from the SSG camp, were later used to kill innocent civilians.SSG is a para-military wing of the Botswana Police Service. The highly trained members of the SSG are armed when they go on patrols. The SSG is also an anti-riot squad.

The gun smuggling first incident from the SSG Maruapula camp, occurred in 2005 when the former Police XI and national team striker, Oliver Pikati sneaked out with a AK 47 service rifle from the SSG camp. Pikati, who was an SSG officer, used the gun to kill his girlfriend then turned the lethal weapon on himself.

The latest incident occurred in December last year when an officer took a gun to accomplish a non official assignment. This time another SSG officer Sub Inspector William Kgathi smuggled an AK 47 and drove to Ledumang where he killed his girlfriend Mpehe Sebele. According to eye witnesses accounts, Kgathi also threatened members of the public after the incident as he fired warning shots in the air. It is also claimed that he took aim at a by stander but missed him.

One of the eye witnesses, said Kgathi was not only using a service rifle which was said to have been an AK 47, but he was also dressed in police uniform.

He also came driving a police vehicle. One of Kgathis colleagues, revealed that he was a driver for the presidential convoy.

Kgathi was disarmed by his son after he killed his girlfriend.

He was arrested as he was driving along the Gaborone/Francistown road. He is in custody awaiting trial. But the acting Commissioner of Police, Ikwatlhaeng Bagopi said security at the SSG armoury is tight. However, he said, even in places where there is high security, people always find a way to beat the system. But he said it is not easy to smuggle a gun from the SSG armoury.

He said in the latest incident, the officer was issued the gun on that day as part of his duties. Bagopi said Kgathi was supposed to use the gun on routine patrol. But instead of going on patrol, he went off on a tangent. As for the late Pikati, the police chief said he was also issued the gun to go on patrol. He said Pikati did not return the gun and deceived the accounting officer.

Bagopi said they do not condone incidents where police officers kill members of the public. He said the Botswana Police Service is there to protect members of the public. The Botswana Police Service is a law abiding organisation. It is orderly in nature, he said.

The nation should be assured that the Botswana Police is not a rogue police organisation, he said.

He said when there are unfortunate incidents they are fully investigated without any bias.

Meanwhile, Bagopi said they have a fully pledged social welfare unit which offers counseling services to officers who are depressed. He said even officers who have been exposed to traumatic incidents during the course of their duties, are referred to the unit.

But some officers said they do not have confidence in the social workers since they are also police officers. One officer said they would prefer social workers from outside the police service. But Bagopi said although their social workers are police officers they are bound by ethics. He said they are also professionals.

He added that they have been no incidents when they have divulged information about their clients to senior officers. The police chief said there has never been an incident when the social welfare officers were coerced by the leadership to reveal details about their clients.