Illegal Zimbabwean immigrant commits suicide in Botswana police cells

AN ILLEGAL Zimbabwean immigrant allegedly hanged himself at a Botswana police station last week while awaiting deportation.

The incident happened at Tlokweng Police Station in Gaborone.

A Botswana weekly, The Sunday Standard yesterday quoted Botswana police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Christopher Mbulawa confirming the incident.

But he refused to disclose the date when the suicide happened and the name of the deceased.

He said the man hanged himself in the cells' bathroom using a rope.

"The deceased was later found in the cells by fellow Zimbabweans who had become suspicious after he took extraordinarily long to shower," Mbulawa said.

Tlokweng Police Station commander Obapotswe Moremi said they were trying to locate the deceased's relatives and had asked for help from the Zimbabwean Embassy in Gaborone.

Each year, Botswana deports thousands of illegal Zimbabwean immigrants at a cost which is estimated to run into millions of Pula.

Some of the illegal immigrants quickly return to Botswana after being dropped off at the Plumtree Border Post.