FOUR Zimbabweans, who were recently arrested while illegally mining gold, have accused the Botswana Defence Forces of torturing them.
Bhekithema Ncube, Qaphelisa Ncube, Siyabonga Ncube and Nicodimus Munetsi made the accusations when they appeared before Francistown magistrate Thapelo Buang on Friday last week.
According to media reports from the neighbouring country, the four told the court that they were assaulted with sjamboks, forced to kiss each other, made to roll in dust and told to toyi-toyi.
The quartet told the courts that the soldiers sprayed them with tear gas and slapped them over and over again.
“But the truly scary part was when they ordered us to face the other direction and then fired gunshots in the air. We thought they would kill us,” the Zimbabweans told the court.
The quartet said they were abused by soldiers during their arrest at the Old Matsiloje Gold Mines on April 10 this year.
The four Zimbabweans, aged between 22 and 29, are facing four charges, including illegal gold mining, illegal entry to Botswana, unlawful possession of explosives and unwrought precious stones suspected to be gold.
They were not asked to plead, but when given a chance to speak in court they all complained of having been beaten, humiliated and brutally manhandled by the soldiers who arrested them.
- Zim gold panners tortured by Botswana soldiers
Keep Reading
The men also told the court that they were yet to receive medical attention and had spent the night in a police cell in absolute agony.
The magistrate ordered that Matsiloje station commander Oteng Ngada appear before the court on the next Zimbabweans’ appearance to respond to the allegations.
He also ordered that the four be taken to hospital for check-up immediately.
They were remanded in custody to April 24, when Superintendent Ngada will take the stand.
Media reports from Botswana also state that one of the accused used a shoelace to support his arm as a makeshift sling amid fears his collarbone may have broken.
