Botswana Soldiers and Safari Operator Charged with Murder of Zambian National

Four Botswana Defence Force (BDF) officers and a Safari Camp operator have been formally charged with the murder of a Zambian national, Sabata Moyo Sipinda, whom they accused of poaching near the Linyanti area. The accused appeared before the Kasane Magistrate Court last week, where harrowing details of the incident emerged.

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According to court testimony, the soldiers encountered four individuals fishing in the Linyanti area. They managed to apprehend two of them, while the other two fled the scene. The court heard that the arrested men were subjected to severe assault and torture while in custody. Detective Marapo, who is leading the investigation, testified that the victims were “severely beaten, burnt over an open fire, and force-fed raw mealie-meal.” Sipinda succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead at Kachikau Clinic. The second individual sustained visible bruises and thermal burns.

This incident has reignited regional concerns over Botswana’s aggressive anti-poaching measures. In 2019, four BDF soldiers opened fire on Namibian fishermen, killing three members of the Nchindo family, an event that drew widespread condemnation.

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Botswana has reportedly followed an unwritten “shoot-to-kill” policy against suspected poachers since 2013, a strategy that has resulted in the deaths of at least 35 Namibians, 25 Zimbabweans, and 15 Zambians over the past two decades.

The Linyanti area falls within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA), where the borders of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe converge. Local communities from these nations have long relied on the shared wildlife and natural resources for their livelihoods, further complicating anti-poaching enforcement.

In response to growing concerns, Namibia’s then Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, now President-elect, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, initiated diplomatic talks with Botswana in May 2014. During these discussions, Botswana reportedly assured Namibia that it would cease the use of lethal force against suspected poachers.

The case has sparked renewed calls for accountability and a review of Botswana’s anti-poaching strategies. The accused released on bail, and the case will continue on 17th February 2025 at the Kasane Magistrate Court.