Africa-Press – Namibia. ZAMBEZI regional crime investigation coordinator deputy commissioner Evans Simasiku says the fact that the Botswana Defence Force ( BDF) was in charge of the scene where the Nchindo bothers and their cousin were killed on 5 November last year, threatens the integrity of the scene.
The investigation was biased, as the Namibian Police was only shown the crime scene two weeks after the incident, he said. Simasiku during a media briefing yesterday said the Botswana police in their testimonies revealed that they left the crime scene in the hands of the BDF, who are the alleged perpetrators.
He said they were not sure of the time of the incident as their investigation was based on information from BDF soldiers. “If you are a crime-scene officer, you should rush to the scene to take control of it immediately when you get a report. However, in this case that was not done, because the officer only arrived at 07h00, while the shooting incident is alleged to have happened between 22h00 and 23h00 the night before.
“This is an indication that the crime scene was already compromised,” he said.
An inquest into the killing of Tommy, Martin, and Wamunyima Nchindo, and their cousin Munyeme Sinvula by BDF soldiers along the Chobe River on suspicion of being poachers ended at Kasane last week.
Regional magistrate Taboka Mopipi presided over the two-week long inquest and will deliver her ruling on 20 January next year. Some 15 Namibian witnesses testified, as well as 21 Botswana witnesses, comprising the police, BDF soldiers, pathologists from the respective countries, as well as family members of the slain men.
According to Simasiku, Botswana and Namibian crime-scene officers were supposed to speak the same language. He said he was appalled at the way Botswana’s state prosecutors treated Namibian witnesses.
They were treated as suspects, he said, compared to the manner in which the actual suspects were treated. “At this point, I am not even sure if the report by our pathologist, who was part of the autopsy at Francistown, would be taken into consideration, because they focused on his qualifications.
“Despite the fact that he has been practising pathology for over 10 years . . .
“We really don’t know how honest the court or the laws of Botswana are going to be in this inquest,” he said. Simasiku reiterated that the Nchindo brothers and their cousin were not poachers, as alleged by the BDF.
Botswana crime scene investigator inspector Michael Josaya during his testimony said he arrived at the scene on 6 November around 07h00, and was introduced to the scene by the BDF.
He presented three elephant tusks, two spears, four pedals, two black containers, two canoes, clothing, and one long pair of nose pliers as evidence allegedly found in possession of the slain men to court.
Josaya could, however, not submit the alleged guns or gun which the deceased reportedly used to shoot at the BDF. No empty cartridges were found at the scene despite extensive searches.
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