Isaiah Morewagae
6 February 2009
In a twist of events the Botswana Police Commissioner, Thebeyame Tsimako, says he does not know anything about a report on the investigations carried out on torture allegations against Directorate of Intelligence and Security officers.
A few weeks ago the Police Service said they had completed investigations on the officers. Former commander of the Central Police Station, Takongwa Mazwiduma, has told Mmegi that they have finalised their investigations into the allegations and submitted a report "to the relevant authorities".
However, Tsimako, says he does not know anything about such a report and that his office has not received it. "It could be on its way to our office, but as we speak, we have nothing of the sort in our office," Tsimako says.
Two soldiers and two policemen have alleged that they were severely beaten and humiliated in a torture chamber at the offices of DIS in Gaborone in October last year.
Mazwiduma, who has since been transferred to Selebi-Phikwe, said they were awaiting a response from their seniors on what steps to take. "We have concluded the investigations and made recommendations to the relevant authorities," he said. "We are waiting for their response."
He said he could not disclose the findings of their investigations pending the assessment of the report by his seniors.
The four security men insist they were subjected to extensive torture at the hands of DIS officers over allegations that they had stolen an assault rifle from the Gaborone West Police Station.
It was suspected that the gun had been used in armed robberies at Choppies in Ramotswa, the Cumberland Hotel in Lobatse and in Molepolole.
But the men have alleged that after their extensive torture, they were taken to the Gaborone West Police Station where an officer who keeps the key to the armoury opened it and all the guns were found inside.
The commander of the Gaborone West Police Station, Bonnie Bareki, has confirmed that no gun was missing from his armoury.
Meanwhile, DIS has received a hefty share in the 2009/10 budget, prompting renewed questions about the need for shoring up the secret agency.
DIS, whose alleged methods have already inspired fear in the general population, has been allocated a staggering P200 million of the budget. The opposition, Botswana Congress Party (BCP), has complained that "no details have been provided detailing what the funds are to be used for".
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