The Botswana Police Service (BPS) has launched a search for an alleged 'killer' soldier.
The soldier allegedly burnt down a house leading to the deaths of a grandmother and her grandchildren. After the act, the soldier allegedly proceeded to shoot and injure a police officer.
BPS Public Relations Officer Near Bagali told MmegiOnline that the chilling incident occurred in the wee hours of today.
“We received a report this morning at around 1:30am where a soldier at Kgomokasitwa allegedly set a house on fire. In that house, there was a 69-year-old woman with her 17-year-old granddaughter and 10-year-old and eight-year-old grandsons,” Bagali said. Unfortunately for the family, Bagali revealed that from the arson that engulfed the house, only one survived. “The soldier decided to torch the house. He burnt them all inside the house but fortunately enough, the 10-year-old boy escaped unhurt,” he said. Unbeknownst to them, Bagali stated that the soldier went on to shoot a police officer who got away with minor injuries and is currently recuperating in hospital. Bagali added that they have since launched a search for the soldier. “The soldier is still on the run and we want to appeal to the public to stay on high alert as the suspect is armed and dangerous," he said.
Bagali was coy with details, unable to clarify if indeed the soldier was on the run and if he had a case before the courts for defilement as social media reports suggest, as well as if the soldier targeted the family for the alleged sexual crime. “We cannot confirm if that is true mostly because we are still investigating (the latest incident). Investigations (into the fresh incident) are at an infant stage,” he said. This case (involving a BDF soldier) follows another incident from last week where a soldier in Maun allegedly killed his girlfriend and turned the gun on himself.
BPS Public Relations Officer Near Bagali told MmegiOnline that the chilling incident occurred in the wee hours of today.
“We received a report this morning at around 1:30am where a soldier at Kgomokasitwa allegedly set a house on fire. In that house, there was a 69-year-old woman with her 17-year-old granddaughter and 10-year-old and eight-year-old grandsons,” Bagali said. Unfortunately for the family, Bagali revealed that from the arson that engulfed the house, only one survived. “The soldier decided to torch the house. He burnt them all inside the house but fortunately enough, the 10-year-old boy escaped unhurt,” he said. Unbeknownst to them, Bagali stated that the soldier went on to shoot a police officer who got away with minor injuries and is currently recuperating in hospital. Bagali added that they have since launched a search for the soldier. “The soldier is still on the run and we want to appeal to the public to stay on high alert as the suspect is armed and dangerous," he said.
Bagali was coy with details, unable to clarify if indeed the soldier was on the run and if he had a case before the courts for defilement as social media reports suggest, as well as if the soldier targeted the family for the alleged sexual crime. “We cannot confirm if that is true mostly because we are still investigating (the latest incident). Investigations (into the fresh incident) are at an infant stage,” he said. This case (involving a BDF soldier) follows another incident from last week where a soldier in Maun allegedly killed his girlfriend and turned the gun on himself.
