Uneasy calm in Gabane after riots

VICTOR MUYAKWABO
Staff Writer | Thursday July 25, 2013 00:00

 

The villagers reportedly made an attempt to burn the sangoma's house on Tuesday night but police intervened by firing teargas and rubber bullets at them.

According to a source here, the homicidal mob of villagers milled about near the sangoma's home until midnight after being dispersed at approximately 10.30pm.  The middle-aged woman reacted angrily when Mmegi approached her. She ordered us to leave her property and warned the photographer not to take any pictures.  The chief spokesman of Botswana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner Christopher Mbulawa, told Mmegi that calm was returning to Gabane after a chaotic Tuesday night. Mbulawa said the villagers had now joined the police in the search for 37-year old Willy Leborane because they had realised that rioting would not bring him back. He would not be drawn on whether ritual murder was suspected. 'We have been searching for the man since the day he was reported missing and we continue to do so,' he explained. 'We believe we will find him.'

The family of the missing man say their son was not inclined to wandering off into the bush, hence they believe someone is responsible for his disappearance which they ascribe to ritual purposes.  His father, Tobela Leborane, questions why it is only now that the chief had called a meeting to form a search party when Willy had disappeared almost a month ago.

He had a similar complaint about the police. 'Since we reported the matter, they have done nothing to show any seriousness,' he said. Willy reportedly lived with his girlfriend and their son at his parents' home and owned tuckshops around Gabane.