The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Phandu Skelemani, on Monday urged Batswana not to be carried away by sensational reports by the media and opposition parties over extra judicial killings and let the law take its course.
Skelemani was commenting on the President’s State of the Nation address, and added to revelations made by the Minister of Justice Defence and Security, Dikgakgamatso Seretse.
When answering Gaborone Central MP Dumelang Saleshando’s question, Seretse revealed that 16 civilians have died after eleven incidents of shootings by security agents since the 1st of April 2008.
Saleshando had wanted to know what actions government has taken against state security forces who are currently painted in bad light because of continued extra-judicial killings.
“Of the eleven incidents, four murder cases and seven inquests dockets were opened for investigations. The four murder cases have been submitted to the Directorate of Public Prosecutors for assessment of evidence and/or prosecution,” he added.
Seretse further revealed that six inquest dockets have been referred to the DPP for assessment of evidence, adding that two of the said dockets have since been closed because there is no evidence of negligence on the part of the security forces.
“Therefore no further action shall be taken on them. However, one inquest is still under investigation,” he concluded.
Skelemani accused the media and the opposition parties of fuelling falsehoods about extra judicial killings.
“Let the law take its course. The nation should not be carried away by the hallabaloo created by the sensational media and the opposition parties. We should not judge the concerned institutions with hearsay,” he said.
He added that the police and the army are a disciplined force who do not shoot for fun, adding that proper investigations are conducted to determine any transgressions if there are incidents relating to some shooting and eventual killings.
“Nobody is above the law,” Skelemani concluded.
