- Police appeal for public help in locating him
Police in Maun are appealing to members of the public to assist in finding a missing 56-year-old man of Xaxaba village located within the Okavango Delta who was last seen on May 30.
The missing man, Retsholelwang Matebele has been reported missing for almost a week now and the search team has since returned with no luck.
In an interview, Maun International Airport Police Station Commander, Superintendent Modiro Lekone, said they received a report from the man’s family last week Tuesday (4th of June) after they could not locate his whereabouts.
Lekone revealed that they then mobilised resources and set up a search team with the assistance of a police helicopter and thereafter launched an extensive search for Matebele. The search team returned on Sunday, the 8th while Matebele up to now has not been found yet.
According to the report, Matebele who is dark in complexion and about 1 point 62 meters tall, was last seen wearing a grey T-shirt and black trousers, carrying an axe and a short gun going to fetch firewood.
The Station Commander appealed for the public to assist in the search for the missing man, urging the community to join forces with the police in their effort to locate him. Superintendent Lekone has dismissed social media reports suggesting some of his remains were found somewhere.
Lekone has advised the public to report missing people earlier, especially those who stay in risky areas where there are wild animals. He further urged the public to keep close communication with family when leaving their homes.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Lekone has called upon the business community to ensure that their premises are safe at all times by being security-sensitive as break-ins tend to increase during winter season. Both small businesses and big retail shops have been urged to tighten up their security. He said police have realised that most businesses have no security cameras, lights outside their premises and no night time guards which makes them prone to break-ins.
Lekone said they have created a business committee made up of the police and business owners that often hold meetings on how to tackle theft and break-ins. He further urged business owners to attend more of these meetings to curb the situation.
