ROBBED AT GUNPOINT
Botswana National Front Vice President Reverend Dr Prince Dibeela escaped death by a whisker when he and ten of his visitors from America were hijacked, beaten and robbed in a dark street by four armed men in Johannesburg, South Africa last Thursday.
Dibeela - who is also Principal of Kgolagano College - and his friends were hijacked movie style at the gate of their guesthouse in West Johannesburg, a few hours after he had collected them at Oliver Tambo airport. Although beaten and abused, all the hijacked have fully recovered.
Of the 10 African-Americans, eight were visiting the African continent for the first time under the Cultural and Mission Immersion programme started by Dibeela and his wife, Reverend Sheryl Dibeela as a way of giving back to the community what they learnt at the time when they served in the highest office of the United Congregation Church of Southern Africa ( UCCSA) where Dr Dibeela became the first Motswana to serve the church as the Secretary general based in Johannesburg.
The thugs who held them hostage for about 15 minutes took off with almost all their belongings including luggage, money, cell phones, laptops and Bibles.Narrating his ordeal to The Midweek Sun, Dr Dibeela after fetching the visitors at OR Tambo airport, they went to a guesthouse west of Johannesburg where upon coming out of their mini bus to press open the gate, one man debouched and ordered him back into the vehicle.
“As I was going inside the car another came holding a gun and he punched me as well as hit me with his gun butt at the same time ordering me not to look at his face. Within seconds, a third armed man had arrived and started beating me up and everyone in the bus at the same time ordering that none of us should look at their faces,” Dibeela said.A fourth man arrived, he added, and jumped into the mini bus which he then drove into some dark street far away from the guesthouse.
The fourth robber jumped in the car on the driver’s seat and drove our bus to a dark street which is not far away from the guesthouse. “At that moment, all the Americans started to pray loudly, appealing to the Almighty for his intervention, our safety as well as to forgive the robbers as they did not know what they are doing,” he added.
Dibeela’s continued negotiations for their release landed him another gun butt smack on the head, causing him to bleed profusely. At the dark spot where they had parked, a Mercedes sedan, arrived whereupon the robbers loaded everything they could, including cash, passports, electronic gadgets, luggage and a bag full of Bibles. “The only thing that saved us is they had a small car and could not take the entire stuff for 10 people. The robbers then sped off in their getaway car taking with them the keys of the mini bus leaving us completely stranded,” he said.
Dibeela who was very weak after they were set free, tried to stop other passing cars, but none stopped. Finally, he phoned his wife who informed the police. Dibeela praised the South African community police who arrived on time and provided the counselling at the guest house where they stayed with them until the early hours of the next day. “I also wish to pay tribute to one lady Virginia Tlou who is Botswana consulate general manager based in South Africa, because she intervened and facilitated for the Americans to enter Botswana using temporary passports.
While in Botswana, the Americans visited Kgodisong Centre which belongs to UCCSA in Kanye. The group also painted a clinic at KwagaTlampa, a village near Goodhope.
Four of the Americans - Debra Dewitt, Donald Mathew and a couple Martin and Gloria Carr – who attended the UCCSA trinity 50th anniversary celebrations on Sunday, confirmed their ordeal to The Midweek Sun. They said they will continue to pray for their robbers to repent especially that amongst the goods they stole were Bibles.