A 1970 Police Shooting Haunts Man

By Maranyane Ngwanaamotho
Staff Writer | Monday May 17, 2010 00:00

 

A letter addressed to him from the Office of the President dated February 11, 2010, reads; '...advised that his request for intervention has not been successful due to the fact that any right he had, has been rendered unenforceable by the lapse of time.'  The letter is signed by Sebele Matenge for/Permanent Secretary to the President. Petros says he was part of a group of people headed by their pastor, who were allegedly shot by the police in Goodhope in 1970 after an altercation involving the paying of a fine over an assault charge. 'I still have bullet pellets in my shoulder and they have seriously affected my health and ability to do anything,' he said. He says that he has been to Gaborone Private Hospital and Princess Marina Hospital where he was told that the pellets could not be removed.  'They told me that there is nothing that can be done or I will die if they try to operate on me,' he said. 

Petros says his first complaint against the police was in 2002 to Ditshwanelo after he heard about the organisation.  'I went to ask Ditshwanelo officials if they could help me get compensation from the government because right now I cannot do anything for myself,' he said.  He was told that it would be difficult to assist him because of the time span.

He claims that he also tried his luck with the then Minister of Justice, Defense and Security, Phandu Skelemani in 2006 where he was again turned away. 'But I told him that molato ga o bole, whenever there is a case, they pull out files from long back, but why do they tell me that my case happened and ended long back?' he said. 

Petros said prior to the shooting in 1970, there was bad blood between his pastor Rasila Modibedi of the St John congregation and the government because the church did not believe in taking children for vaccination as they relied on faith healing.  But the incident that led to the shooting was when the pastor punished his younger brother for insulting him.  'The pastor's younger brother disrespected him and he therefore punished him just like any adult is supposed to discipline children.  He lashed him,' he explained.

He said in return, the younger brother went to report the beating to the then Borolong Paramount Chief, Besel Montshiwa.  The chief then sent police to arrest the pastor, who was charged R25 or face a 12 months imprisonment term. Those who assisted the pastor to beat up his brother by holding him down while punishment was meted were charged R12 each or a three months imprisonment term. 'There were eight of them as well as myself as I had followed them as a supporter of Pastor Modibedi,' he explained.

Petros says that the accused failed to pay the fines in the seven-day period and when the pastor resisted arrest, claiming that he needed more days to pay up he was shot dead. Petros, who was also shot, survived but sustained injuries.