Every month the Botswana Police service parts with large amounts of money, paying a growing number of officers who are on interdiction for various criminal offences.
According to the Director of the Botswana Police Public Unit some officers have been on interdiction as way back as 2002.
Assistant Commissioner Chris Mbulawa said a total of 54 officers are currently on interdiction, earning either a full or half salary.
The latest interdiction involves a Senior Assistant Commissioner who is suspected of rape.
He said “there are fifty four (54) officers currently on interdiction and some of them have been on interdiction since 2002 and their cases are pending before courts”.
Mbulawa said the offences include theft, threats to kill, discreditable conduct, rape etc
He pointed out that all of them were interdicted for criminal cases, although majority of them are as a result of suspected criminal activities.
Mbulawa said invariably such interdiction affects the personnel strength as concerned officer do not perform police duties during the probation of the interdiction.
The assistant Commissioner also observed that such interdictions affect the moral of the colleagues who work with the interdicted officer.
The integrity of the Police Service also does not escape unscathed, said Mbulawa.
The upshot of it, he said is to put the Botswana Police Service under unnecessary spotlight.
