Corpun file 18836

Mmegi, Gaborone, 2 December 2006

Police free detained Kumakwane residents

(extract)

Police on Wednesday released 45 Kumakwane residents who were arrested in connection with the damage of motor vehicles on Sunday evening. The residents went on rampage when a man died on the spot after he was hit by a motor vehicle. The residents blocked the Kanye-Gaborone 'Highway of Death' in protest against Government's refusal to erect speed humps along the road.

At least six vehicles were damaged and police had to fire shots in the air to disperse the stone-throwing mob. Superintendent Andrew Bosilong told Mmegi yesterday that 18 youths, aged between 13 and 18, received two strokes and were freed while 21 others, aged between 20 and 25, refused to be punished and demanded to be charged and tried as required by the law. They will be tried on December 6 when six of them will face six counts of malicious damage to property. Bosilong said police were waiting for quotations from car owners.

However, some people who had been detained and spoke to Mmegi on condition of anonymity accused the police of making indiscriminate arrests. He said they were threatened and forced into a police vehicle without any explanation. He also accused the village authorities of being interested only in getting them punished while they always fail to take action every time a motorist kills a pedestrian. He suggested that village elders should send a delegation to the Minister of Works and Transport (Lesego Motsumi) so speed humps could be erected on the road as a matter of urgency.

[...]

© Mmegi, 2002