Mashebeshete terrorises Lobatse, Molapowabojang

 

Lobatse residents in all the Peleng wards are living in fear and have lost hope as rowdy young boys terrorise them at night, often beating them without provocation.

The young boys aged as little as 15 break into houses, take clothes from washing lines, snatch handbags and cellphones, and steal gas cylinders, leaving residents frustrated and fearful.

Speaking to The Midweek Sun this week, residents who have fallen victim to these young boys said they bear gruesome scars and fear they may suffer from internal injuries.

The victims remained anonymous, for fear of the boys as they travel in groups armed with knives. Victims recount their harrowing experiences.

“Some of us were attacked in our sleep at night. Others were ambushed while coming from work. We even fear staying long in bars because they might follow us home,” a resident said.

They said the boys often travel in groups and are armed with knives.

“They left me with gruesome injuries. I’m even scared I might have internal injuries from the beating,” another victim explained, visibly shaken.

The community feels increasingly helpless as these attacks continue to rise. Another resident revealed that although some of these boys are often arrested, their numbers do not seem to decrease, and the attacks persist.

The Midweek Sun also visited Molapowabojang, where many of these young boys reside, and found that they also terrorise the village.

Residents there expressed similar fears, with reports of theft, vandalism, and violent encounters becoming all too common.

“It is the same problem here. They do not stop even when the police get involved. We are left wondering how long we can keep living like this,” a resident of Molapowabojang said.

Despite the police presence, the residents feel the law is powerless against the growing menace and the hope for change is beginning to fade among the villagers.

Commenting on the issue, Molapowabojang Chief, Kedirile Letshabo revealed that the young boys often fight among themselves, and have divided themselves in groups of two.

'Recently, they were involved in a larger fight that ended with one of them being killed,' Kedirile said.

He added that the villagers have formed Mephato groups, consisting of strong men who frequently patrol alongside the police to try to maintain peace and security in the village.

Kgosi Kedirile also mentioned that the young boys frequently damage water taps at night, or open the taps and let water run.

When asked about the rampant incidents in the Peleng area, Station Commander for Lobatse Police, Superintendent Boitshepo Kaisara, confirmed that the young boys have been terrorising residents.

However, he pointed out that whenever police officers attempt to arrest them, the boys often flee to the hill and push large rocks at the officers.

He revealed that they recently arrested 19 suspects and recovered stolen goods, including cooler boxes, cellphones, house paints, gas cylinders, and more.

While some of the property was identified by residents, others chose not to press criminal charges against the suspects, opting instead to simply reclaim their belongings.

'They have confessed that they sell the stolen cellphones at the Gaborone bus rank. Some of them are children who skip school to engage in these criminal acts,” Kaisara said.

He also revealed that they have cases involving substances suspected to be marijuana confiscated from the suspects. The substances have been sent to their labs for testing.

'We are thoroughly investigating these cases, as we believe the drugs are part of the broader criminal activity in the area,' Kaisara added.