Friday, February 14, 2025

Body of suspect exhumed after allegations of police torture

A family in Pandamatenga has lodged a complaint about police brutality, saying it could have led to the death of a suspect.

Commissioner of Police, Temeyame Tsimako, has assigned a team of investigators to look into allegations of torture surrounding the Pandamatenga Police Station.

The body of a suspect whose name is still being withheld had to be exhumed after it emerged that the suspect might have been tortured before his death.

“We had to exhume the body of one of the suspects last week after accusations of police brutality were leveled against the police,” Kgosi Rebecca Banika told The Sunday Standard.

She said although she did not know all the facts of the case, it had emerged that the deceased had once been arrested as a suspect by the local police and later died after his release.

She added that before his death, the deceased had already lodged a complaint of torture with Police Head Office in Gaborone.

“If the allegations are true, it will be an embarrassment to the police,” she said.

The Public Relations Officer of the Botswana Police, Assistant Commissioner Christopher Mbulawa, confirmed the case and said, ”Last Thursday, the body of a man in his 30s was exhumed in Pandamatenga for forensic investigations.”

He said a team of investigators had been assigned to look into the allegations.
“If my mind serves me well, this will be the first incident when an exhumation was carried out,” he said.

He pointed out that Botswana Police do not condone torture and once such reports have been made, the allegations are investigated thoroughly to make sure that, if true, the perpetrators are punished.

In 2009, five detectives at Mogoditshane Police Station were accused of torturing a suspect, Jordan Setlapoloka, to death.

Investigations were carried out and the case is pending before the courts.

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