However, there have been myths surrounding the disappearance of people in Botswana and for what purpose. Every year the police record high numbers of people who go missing. Most of the people were found dead and suspected to have been killed. Historically, there is a belief that people are abducted, killed and their body parts removed for rituals. To date, residents of Molepolole are yet to find out who is or are really behind the abductions of people. But, enraged residents strongly believe there are killers popularly known as ‘Bo- rraboko’ in their midst. Villagers are of the view that these cases mainly spiral out of control towards general elections.
They claim some politicians use people’s body parts for rituals to strengthen themselves ahead of elections, accusations that are yet to be proven. In the midst of the recent riots that left houses, the village Kgotla shelter and cemeteries burnt to ashes, one would say Molepolole needs a permanent solution to these recurring incidents. Dubbed the country’s crime capital across social media platforms, it was only a matter of time for Molepolole residents to explode in riots as the village has been struggling to contain escalating killings that have since been described as ‘ritual murders’. In the past, the police admitted that policing the area was not easy due to the recurring incidents. Last week, Molepolole came to a standstill as villagers ran amok burning houses, tyres, blocking the road following the suspected ritual murder of Phenyo Jakoba (35), a taxi driver who was found dead and his body badly decomposed with some body parts allegedly missing. The matter left the whole nation reeling in shock and calling for a solution to these cases. Sharing their concerns across social media platforms, Batswana are calling for an urgent permanent solution to these killings and challenging the police to be not taking the cases seriously in ensuring that at least missing people were found alive. Jakoba’s death sparked a vigilante attack after he was found dead and with his body badly decomposed recently at the Mosinki lands in the outskirts of the village with some body parts allegedly missing.
