Woman torches BDF barracks

| Tuesday January 8, 2013 00:00

 

Details are sketchy regarding what set the woman, who is believed to be the wife of a junior army officer, off on her pyrotechnical rage.  However, Mmegi is reliably informed that the woman is a Guidance and Counselling teacher at Pandagala Community Junior Secondary School in Tutume and the lawful wife of a soldier whose names are being withheld for the time being.

Unconfirmed reports say the woman visited her husband's place of abode but did not find him because he had reportedly left for his home village of Tamasane near Palapye. Hell reportedly broke loose after a friend of her husband's allegedly gave her the keys to his apartment as usual when her husband was not there. A source says the suspect has been admitted to Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital for psych analysis. Assistant Commissioner Christopher Mbulawa of the public relation unit of Botswana Police Service has confirmed that the incident happened on Saturday.

'We are investigating a case in which a woman is suspected to have burnt down BDF barracks at Area S in Francistown,' Mbulawa told Mmegi yesterday. All together 25 blocks, including kitchens and common rooms, were torched. However, Mbulawa did not give details of how much damage was caused by the fire because for fear of prejudicing investigations.'Our investigations into the matter are continuing,' he said. 'It is unfortunate that the incident happened when some of the soldiers were enjoying the festive season at different places throughout the country while others were away on trips.'

A CID officer who spoke on conditions of anonymity at Francistown Magistrates Court said the woman was not in a normal state of mind when she set the barracks alight. Nevertheless, he said, she would she would appear in court as soon she stabilized. The Commander of 2nd Brigade, Brigadier Molefhi Seikano, has also confirmed the incident, saying it happened just after 7 o'clock last Saturday morning.'The fire happened at 100 man barracks at Area S camp in Francistown,' Brigadier Seikano said. 'The fire gutted 25 units of a block of flats. Fortunately, no injuries or loss of life has been recorded.'