Ramotswa residents in shock because of murder incidents
The residents of Ramotswa are reeling in shock and anger at the recent spate of murder incidents involving couples in their village. This Monday, the villagers were alerted to the news of a popular figure in the village having killed his girlfriend either on Sunday night or early Monday, before hanging himself, while last week, a student-teacher died at the hands of her lover who has since been arrested to face charges of murder.
The alleged Sunday murder incident involves a Kanye native, Benson Mere, known in Ramotswa as an ardent social being who was Chairman of the villages Network Social Club. Mere was also a dedicated and popular figure with Extension Gunners football club of Lobatse, having served as Chairperson of their Kanye Supporters Branch, and also in the club's Executive Committee as Secretary and Vice Secretary.
Many of those who knew him say they still cannot believe the 35-year-old Mere could commit such a crime on his loved one Tidimalo Tshielo, a 42-year-old native of Ramotswa who too, was well-known as a sociable person in the village. The two were found dead Monday evening at Tsokung ward in Ramotswa, with no certainty of when the murder could have happened between Sunday and the time they were found.
According to Ramotswa Station Commander, Superintendent Keogile Tau the police rushed to the scene upon receiving the report of their lifeless bodies at around 7 in the evening, and indeed found the woman lying on the floor, while her boyfriend was hanging from the roof rafters.
Tau said the two were rushed to Bamalete Lutheran Hospital where they were confirmed dead. He said they are awaiting the post mortem report to find out what transpired between the lovers.
Residents of Ramotswa were in disbelief, already questioning if their village was turning into another Molepolole as another murder incident had only happened last week, where a 26-year-old Ramotswa man stabbed a 23-year-old student teacher at Lesetlhana Primary School to death. The village of Molepolole has over the years been associated with gruesome incidents of murder, with elders recently calling for churches to gather there and pray for the village.
Taking to social media to express their frustration at the recent incidents, the Ramotswa residents called for drastic measures to be taken before their village is turned into some killers' paradise. The villagers were particularly angered by how the man stabbed the teacher just by the school entrance where young pupils witnessed everything.
Some of those children are reported to be still traumatised by the incident. An eye-witness of the school death incident revealed to The Midweek Sun that the man had been waiting outside the school near the gate, with everyone, including the school's gate keeper, assuming he was just there to tap on the wifi in the school. When the University of Botswana student teacher arrived with a friend, the man instantly attacked her, nearly killing the friend as well in the process.
By the time the gate keeper was able to grab the killer to pull him away, it was too late. Witnesses of the incident included teachers who were also reporting for duty. The man has since been arrested and remains in custody awaiting court appearance.