The DIS confiscated Gabathuse's phones and also stormed Senior Reporter Innocent Selatlhwa’s house, arrested him, and confiscated his laptop, iPad, and phone.
While the leadership of the DIS met with MISA Botswana and Botswana Editors Forum (BEF) and expressed regret at how the two were arrested, some questions still beg to be answered. We are not in any way trying to suggest that journalists are above the law, but our rights just like any citizen or resident in Botswana should be respected.
We believe that we are all accountable under the law and the laws of our country should be publicised. The laws of the country should be applied evenly and obeyed by all including law enforcement officers. How DIS agents stormed DPC offices was indeed shocking and left those who were present wondering about the laws of this country.
The officers were first and foremost evasive about the reasons why they were arresting DPC employees or rather about the crime they had committed. They walked around like they owned the building and threw around words such as ‘I am the warrant’ when asked if they had a warrant for arrest. At some point, one said he is the law.
So now, does it mean law enforcement agencies when conducting an investigation have all the rights to arrest people who have not committed any crime or rather people who they believe can assist in their investigations? Perhaps, we as civilians should look into the laws of Botswana and acquaint ourselves with the laws of our country to better understand our rights when it comes to being questioned or being a person of interest, or a person who security forces feel can assist with investigations.
Normally, one would think law enforcement would call a person who they believe can assist them with investigations and talk to them in a civilised manner with the hope that they would get the information they need.
Unfortunately, the Thursday incident made it seem like individuals within the DIS are indeed the law unto themselves and do things as they desire not necessarily working within the confines of the law. We appreciate the work of law enforcement agencies and would like to find ourselves living in a country that is not bedevilled by crime, but at the same time, we do not want to live in fear of the very people who are supposed to protect us! We should all work together to make Botswana a better place.
