LOBATSE: Disgraced former police officer Kenosi Kamina, 43, hailing from Maun, has embarked on a legal battle against the Attorney General, demanding a sum of P525,019.96 as compensation for the violation of his rights and the enduring anguish of fear and isolation.
This lawsuit follows Kamina's dismissal and subsequent acquittal in a case from 2015, wherein he stood accused of stealing two cattle along three others.
Presenting his case before Justice Modiri Letsididi of the Lobatse High Court during the ongoing trial, Kamina recounted the events of 2015 when he, along with three others, faced charges of cattle theft. Despite emerging victorious in the case, it left him burdened with legal expenses and a tarnished reputation. He now seeks compensation as he grapples with settling the mounting legal bills that accumulated during the protracted four-year legal battle, compounded by his expulsion from the Botswana Police.
Kamina informed the court that during the proceedings in the Maun Magistrate Court, his alleged transgression was merely signing the cattle register, confirming ownership of cattle for one John Chitunga. He clarified that he had done so in good faith, backed by the presentation of requisite documents including a brand registration certificate and a bolan, all provided by Chitunga himself.
Kamina asserted that he had tirelessly endeavoured to prove his innocence throughout the trial, ultimately vindicated when the State failed to produce crucial evidence, including photo albums and other exhibits.
"In 2019, after a harrowing four-year ordeal, I was exonerated. Of the sum I seek as compensation, P125,019.96 pertains to the legal expenses incurred during the case, while P400,000 is attributed to the severe humiliation I endured. My rights were trampled upon, my innocence disregarded, and I was unjustly labelled a thief wherever I went, even within my own family. This ordeal strained my marriage to the brink of divorce, leaving us in constant conflict. I was even prevented from travelling to South Africa for church, affecting my spiritual life," he griped. Adding further anguish, Kamina revealed that his story was widely disseminated in the newspapers.
