Moipolai, 71 was travelling to Matsiloje from Pretoria, South Africa where he had gone for a medical check-up with seven members of his immediate family when the accident occurred at around 1am. Moipolai's eldest son Sebego Moipolai who was behind the steering wheel when the accident occurred, confirmed his father's death in an interview with Mmegi yesterday. "The driver of the Camry encroached into my lane when attempting to turn off at the Topisi junction. That is when he collided with our car," he said.
Serule Police Station commander Superintendent Lesole Mosimane also confirmed the accident. He explained that an oncoming Toyota Camry collided with the Mitsubishi Chariot whose occupants included the chief. The vehicle was apparently coming from the Gaborone direction and at the Topisi Junction, the Camry driver appeared to have miscalculated the speed of the Chariot and sought to turn at the junction into Topisi. Four occupants of the Toyota Camry died on the spot, but the 31-year- old driver, a resident of Topisi; and the owner of the car, escaped from the carnage unhurt. Two of the Chariot occupants were unscathed, while two lost their lives. One of Moipolai's two sons sustained a serious injury on the thigh and is currently recuperating at Princess Marina. According to Mosimane, the driver of the Toyota Camry is alleged to have been driving under the influence of alcohol. "He (the driver) is in police custody assisting with investigations. If indeed investigations prove that he was drunk he is likely to face a charge of causing death by drunken driving," he said.
