DISGRACED

A Senior Police Officer has been suspended over missing exhibits linked to the case of slain police officer, Constable Focus Isaiah.

The officer in question is none other than the Sejelo Police Station in Kanye, Station Commander, Superintendent Mogomotsi Matlapeng.

The suspension comes as the long-running murder trial continues before Justice Zein Kebonang at the High Court. The matter was recently adjourned temporarily while the investigating officer remains on the witness stand, and proceedings are expected to resume soon.

Court proceedings show that some key exhibits in the matter allegedly went missing while under police custody. The missing items include a firearm believed to have been used during the shooting, cellphones, ammunition cartridges and other exhibits connected to the case.

Information gathered indicates that there was at one point a break-in at offices where some exhibits were stored. It is alleged that no inventory was conducted afterwards to establish whether all exhibits were still intact.

It also emerged that some firearms were allegedly never transferred to the armoury for safekeeping. Sources close to the matter say the missing gun, is allegedly connected to the killing of Isaiah.

Despite the disappearance of the exhibits, information before court suggests that the prosecution case may not be heavily weakened.

Medical evidence already presented reportedly confirmed that Isaiah died from gunshot wounds. DNA evidence from blood samples is also said to have linked some of the accused persons to the crime scene.

Constable Isaiah was stationed at Sejelo Police Station in Kanye. He was shot during a robbery incident near Mmakgodumo Dam in January 2015 after police responded to reports of an armed robbery involving a cash loan business. Isaiah later succumbed to his injuries on February 2, 2015.

His death shocked the policing fraternity and the Kanye community, with the fallen officer later honoured during Botswana Police Service commemorations for officers who died in the line of duty.

At the time, football teams in Kanye also organised a four-team memorial tournament in his honour as residents mourned the young officer.

Five accused persons including, Evans Mhiwatiwa, Gaofenngwe Lovy Seitiso, Thuso Moses, Mayibongwe Moyo and Patrick Mpale, are facing several charges including armed robbery, murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, as well as illegal entry into Botswana in the case of one accused person.

Court records show that the accused allegedly robbed Rosherville Cash Loan near Motlhala Ward in Kanye on January 29, 2015.

During the robbery, they allegedly stole P87,064 in cash, a Samsung laptop and a Toyota Allex valued at P40,000. It is further alleged that employees of the cash loan business were threatened with pistols before being robbed

of their cellphones.

The State also alleges that the accused later shot and injured Isaiah near Mmakgodumo Dam while he and fellow officers were responding to the robbery. Another charge before court alleges that the accused attempted to kill another officer, Phalanyane Kenosi.

The accused also face charges of possessing Bernadelli-Cardone and Star pistols without licences, together with several rounds of ammunition allegedly found in their possession.

Asked to comment on Superintendent Matlapeng’s suspension, Botswana Police Service Spokesperson Near Bagali said the issue concerns internal employer and administration matters.

“This is between employer and employee and involves administration issues which are difficult to comment on,” Bagali said.