The inquisition carried out into the deaths of Namibian ‘fishermen’ shot by the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and the subsequent ruling vindicating the latter is an insult to Namibia, the National Democratic Party (NDP) says.
Its leader, Martin Lukato, who is affectionately known as ‘Lukato Lukato’, advanced this during an interview with this agency on Friday.
The Namibians were killed on suspicion of being involved in poaching activities.
But the inquest has now raised more questions than answers about what really transpired that fateful night of 05 November 2020. It failed to produce a firearm allegedly used by the Namibians to trigger the BDF’s fatal response.
Meanwhile, the BDF sprayed the Namibian men with 32 bullets, an average of eight bullets per person.
On the contrary, the BDF’s witnesses are adamant that the Namibians fired the first shots.
While a Botswana magistrate vindicated that country’s defence force for the killings of Namibians along the Chobe, Kwando and Linyanti rivers, it is time for Namibia to stop bending over for Botswana.
“The judgement is disappointing. That outcome hurt everyone. The ruling favoured the murderers,” Lukato said, before noting that a neutral judge should have presided over the inquest.
“They made a mistake when they allowed a presiding officer from Botswana. No judge from Botswana or Namibia should have presided over that case. And this is not only about the Nchindo family. The lives of all those who died at the hands of the BDF since independence must be accounted for,” Lukato said.
He also lamented the lack of consultation during the controversial border treaty agreement between Botswana and Namibia of 2018.
To avoid the BDF-sponsored killings from recurring, the government and all interested parties on the Namibian side must sit around the table to chart a clear path.
“Our brothers in power must arrange so that we can come together around the table to get our mandate before we tell Botswana what is going to happen. Let us first agree as Namibians on the steps we should take from now on to protect our people on the border,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Kasane Magistrate’s Court ruled that the BDF cannot be held liable for the murder of three Nchindo brothers and their Zambian cousin in 2020.
In the said incident, Tommy Nchindo, Ernest Nchindo and Simvula Wamunyima Munyeme were shot in the chest and died instantly in their canoes, while Martin Nchindo was shot as he tried to swim to safety.
However, Kasane regional magistrate Toboka Mopipi asserted in her judgement that the BDF acted within the parameters of the law.
“It is my findings that it cannot be held that the action of the seven Botswana Defence Force amounted to so gross negligence so to constitute criminal liability for the deaths of the four deceased persons. They are not held criminally liable and accordingly, they are absolved from any criminal charges,” Mopipi said.
Mopipi held that evidence before indicates that whenever the BDF arrests Namibians fishing illegally in Botswana, they are released the next day.
Therefore, “in this incident, something unusual must have happened to cause the BDF to deviate from their normal character,” Mopipi further justifies.
This is despite various testimonies throughout the inquest revealing that no guns were found in the possession of the victims, following an immediate search by the BDF.
Late last year, a report by the National Council’s Standing Committee on Home Affairs, Security, Constitutional and Legal Affairs revealed how Namibians along the border separating the two countries are engulfed by fear.
They have lost their sense of security, something which has affected their lives and livelihoods due to reduced fishing and animal grazing activities, the committee found.
A local pressure group – Namibian Lives Matter – will head to SADC, the African Union and the United Nations to register a case of espionage, torture and execution of innocent and unarmed Namibians by the BDF.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
