• Police says the suspect was carrying drugs and refused to be searched
• They roped my son cowboy style- father
• – family wants answers

Botswana Congress Party Councilor for Nxaraga Morolong Mosimanyana whose son died in a horrific scuffle with Sehithwa Police Station officers has narrated to The Okavango Express how the ‘painful’ event has left his family reeling in pain. 

Mosimanyana revealed in an interview that on Friday his son was driving together with other two men when they were stopped by police at a road block they mounted at Setlatla veterinary gate.  The police told them they wanted to search the car but found nothing, according to Mosimanyana. Then, the police told the three men they wanted to search them to find what they were carrying in their pockets.

‘’ my son demanded to know the reason for the search. He asked the police why they wanted to search them because they have already searched the car and found nothing.  When they approached him he objected and at that point the police apparently decided to men handle him but he was too strong for the officers.’’

‘’ as the scuffle ensued, a farmer rode by on a donkey whom the police asked to borrow them a rope he was carrying so they could tie my son with it. They got the rope and tied him on the feet, managed to overpower him as one of the officers sat on his stomach while the other chocked him. They managed to handcuff him but continued pressing, kicking and suffocating him until his body got weak. He couldn’t breathe and died there. Then they went to ask for water at the gate poured it on his face. But he was gone. They rushed him to the clinic.’’

Mosimanyana opined that the police used excessive force stating the police could have put his son in the police van as soon they had roped him and got powerless on the ground. Even more painful to Mosimanyana was the fact that the Police took almost 24 hours since the incident before officially informing the family. ‘’ I was phoned by the other two men with my son to inform me. This happened on Friday but the police only came to inform us the next day on Friday. Just imagine’’

Confirming the incident, Botswana Police spokesperson Dipheko Motube has confirmed that a 30 year old man from Botshabelo ward in Maun died over weekend following a scuffle with police officers.

Motube said the deceased and two other men were stopped by police officers at a road block in Setlatla veterinary gate between Sehithwa and Tsau. A scuffle between the deceased and police officers ensued as the officers on duty searched him.

According police the man was carrying three sachets of a powder suspected to be drugs. During the ensuing scuffle the deceased allegedly consume one of the sachets.

The deceased got unconscious during the fight and was consequently confirmed dead at Letsholathebe Hospital in Maun having been transferred from Sehitlhwa clinic.

Motube revealed that two of the sachets of a powder suspected to be drugs were recovered from the deceased and have been sent for scientific examination in Gaborone. Investigations in to this matter continues.