A 22-year-old Maun resident, Gontlemang General-Segolodi has appeared before the Maun Magistrate Court facing terrorism charges. The case was heard before Magistrate Gofaone Mosweu on Tuesday.
The charges stem from a controversial post he made on his X (formerly Twitter) account in November 2024. In the post, Segolodi allegedly wrote: “What is the best place to shoot up, a school, a mall, a church, a hospital?” According to court documents, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) believes the message amounted to an act of terrorism as defined under Section 3(1) and 3(2)(b) of the country’s anti-terrorism laws.
The post was brought to attention after a tip-off from the US Embassy, which was reportedly alerted by foreign intelligence services monitoring online activity. The DPP claims that the message was written in jumbled English, which they allege was a deliberate cipher meant to conceal its true meaning. When decoded, investigators say, the message still retained its apparent reference to violent acts against public spaces.
However, Segolodi insists there was no malicious intent and he had previously told investigators the post was “meaningless text” and a joke, not intended to encourage or incite any real-world violence. Despite his claims, the authorities have treated the matter with utmost seriousness.
Following his arrest earlier this year, the court ordered that Segolodi undergo a mental health evaluation. He was subsequently detained for 90 days at Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital in Lobatse, beginning on January 31, 2025. The evaluation has since been completed, and according to official reports, the accused has been deemed fit to stand trial.
Speaking in court, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions and Head of International Cooperation and Cybercrime, Merapelo Mokgosi, underscored the seriousness of the charges. She noted that under the law, a terrorism conviction of this nature leaves only two possible sentences, the death penalty or life imprisonment. Mokgosi further stated that the prosecution is now awaiting a final psychosocial report before the case proceeds in full.
Magistrate Gofaone Mosweu noted that since the matter was initially heard before the Chief Magistrate, Thebeetsile Mulalu, the accused will then appear before that court on the next hearing date set for September 15, 2025. The case has sparked debate both in Maun and online, with opinions split between those who view the incident as a reckless joke gone wrong and those who see it as a dangerous example of how social media can be used to spread harmful ideas.
