Border jumper paralysed after Bots shooting

Nhlalwenhle Ncube
A BORDER jumper in transit to South Africaaï¿½ï¿½s journey ended in Botswana when that countryaï¿½ï¿½s cops shot him and now a year later, heaï¿½ï¿½s paralysed.

Bekezela Khumalo (29) claims he was shot by Botswana police in June last year and they detained him for seven months hoping he was going to recover.Aï¿½ However, when they realised his condition was getting worse they deported him.

Unfortunately, it was late for Khumalo as his left side was already paralysed. By the time he granted this interview, he couldnaï¿½ï¿½t do anything by himself.

aï¿½?I was on my way to South Africa with a friend when we were approached by police in civilian clothes.

aï¿½?After checking our passports they said we were under arrest as we had overstayed. They led us into a van but some who had been detained escaped and I followed suit but unluckily I was shot on the left jaw and the bullet came out through the mouth. I was taken to hospital where I was given an injection before being released to Mochudi Police Station in Gaborone where I was kept for two months,aï¿½? said Khumalo.

Life at the police station was terrible despite being in pain during winter they forced him to sleep outside the cells.

aï¿½?I was never taken to court. They only moved me to Gerald Prison in Francistown where I was detained for seven months and it was hell for me as I could not do anything.

aï¿½?If only I had got treatment, my condition could be better than what it is now. They deported me after realising that I was deteriorating.

aï¿½?I want the Botswana government to compensate me because I am now handicapped and will never be able to work again,aï¿½? said the frustrated Khumalo.

Obvious Nyoni, a friend who has been visiting Khumalo in Botswana since he got news that he was shot said the police lied.

aï¿½?The police who shot him are now claiming that he was shot by robbers. During the time when they kept him in prison, I always queried why they were not taking him to court and they said they did not have a charge against him,aï¿½? he said.

It is said that he was only deported after a tip-off was given to some police officers.

Nyoni revealed that efforts to get help from both the Zimbabwe and Botswana embassies were fruitless.

An official at the Zimbabwean Embassy who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that they were in contact with the family over the issue.

However, he said the embassy was having problems dealing with the matter because Khumalo kept changing his version of what transpired and his deportation was stalled by some missing documents to be produced to the police. . .