Tatitown Police Station Commander, Boipuso Baatweng said the police officer, who was deployed under Special Support Group (SSG) in Gaborone, took his own life and left a suicide note. Baatweng said the suicide note read 'I suffered a great deal'. He added that the note did not give a clear message to why the officer took his own life. The incident happened on January 19 at Mafhungo/Hubona village. Baatweng said the police officer allegedly took his life in his own room at his parents’ yard. He indicated that the matter was reported by the deceased's relatives who found him hanging from the rafters early in the morning of the fateful day.
Baatweng stated that it was reported that prior to killing himself, the officer did not show any signs of stress or depression. The shocking matter took place while the law enforcement officer was on leave, added the police chief. He also said the incident is the first of its kind in the policing area since the beginning of the year. He was concerned about a growing trend of men who take their own lives. "Last year we recorded a lot of cases of men who took their own lives. The problem is that a lot of men don't share their problems nor seek professional help when they are in trouble," added Baatweng. Therefore, he urged men to stop bottling things up and learn to share their problems and get the help they need before it is too late. This is the second incident where a law enforcement officer has been reported to have taken his life in just a period of less than 48 hours. On January 18, a 39-year old Lance Corporal based at the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) Donga camp took his own life. The soldier did not leave any note though there are rumours that he had allegedly defiled a minor.
