Africa-Press – Namibia. THE verdict into the inquest of the killing of the Nchindo brothers and their cousin, Sinvula Munyeme, at the hands of Botswana Defence Force (BDF) is expected to be delivered today by Kasane regional magistrate Taboka Mopipi.
On 5 November 2020, the Namibian nation and the world woke up to the news that Tommy, Martin and Wamunyima Nchindo, alongside their cousin Munyeme, were brutally shot and killed by BDF soldiers along the Chobe River, on suspicion that they were part of a poaching syndicate.
The shock of their death was too much to bear for the mother of the Nchindo brothers, Alphonsina Mubu (69), who collapsed and died five days after their deaths. The two-week long inquest heard the testimonies of 15 Namibian and 21 Motswana witnesses.
Mopipi is expected to reveal her findings on whether the BDF soldiers were following standard operational procedure, or if they were in the wrong and will be prosecuted for murder.
The Namibian Lives Matter (NLM) movement’s national chairperson, Sinvula Mudabeti, says with regards to this inquest, Botswana has an obligation to the international world to have a judicial system that respects fundamental human rights.
“The Nchindo brothers and their cousin did not commit any crimes against the BDF and thus cannot be condemned to death by trigger-happy BDF officers. The inquest should allow the BDF soldiers to face the full wrath of the law. The burden of proof was on the BDF and the responsibility in this matter was on the BDF to prove their claim that they acted in self defence when evidence in court proved otherwise,” he says.
The inquest revealed that the anonymous tip the Botswana police received about suspected armed poachers approaching the Sedudu/Kasikili island area in two canoes, came from a Namibian spy hired by the Botswana police since 2018.
The BDF police alerted BDF platoon commander lieutenant Moreri Mphela, who then deployed about seven BDF soldiers in two boats to go and assess the situation.
It was claimed that as the BDF soldiers got closer, the fishermen started shooting at them and the BDF soldiers retaliated. Four soldiers fired a total of 32 bullets, killing the fishermen.
Evidence presented by the Botswana police crime scene investigator Michael Josaya, however, only included three elephant tusks and other items. The alleged weapon used by the fishermen to shoot at the BDF was not found, even after several extensive searches.
Zambezi regional crime investigation coordinator deputy commissioner Evans Simasiku told the court that his investigations confirmed that the four men earned a living from fishing.
He provided the court with their fishing permits and also testified that none of the slain fishermen had any firearms registered in their names. The BDF have, since independence, killed about 37 Namibians. Until this time, no BDF member has been charged and tried for the deaths of any Namibians.
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