-CEDA CEO survives gunshot -The bullet pierced my flesh- Thamane
Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Thabo Thamane was shot and wounded in an unprovoked attack by two men on Monday evening.
Thamane owes his life to his quick reactions – the CEO avoided certain death by instinctively ducking the gunshot, which was aimed at his head from close quarters.
Instead of killing him, as was seemingly intended, the bullet pierced his right arm, causing the CEDA chief plenty of pain and blood loss but ultimately proving nonfatal.
On Wednesday morning, two days after the attack, The Voice spotted the visibly shaken survivor at Gaborone Private Hospital.
Narrating his ordeal, Thamane revealed he was driving home after work and had just turned into Block 6 (Gaborone) when a car bumped into him from behind.
“It happened at around 7pm. I stopped immediately but did not get out of the car. One of the guys then walked towards my car and apologised for the minor accident. I told him that I would fix my car and that he should fix his too. I asked for his details in case I needed him in the future and he left to get his phone whilst I leaned back into the car to get a paper and pen to exchange contacts.”
However, Thamane says, instead of coming back, the man attempted to drive off but only travelled a few metres before becoming stuck in traffic.
“The same guy got out of the car. This time he went to the passenger seat area and, as I asked him why he ran off when we had agreed we would both fix our cars, I heard the sound of a gun cocking,” he recalled, adding that when he turned around another man was pointing a gun directly at him.
“The bullet went through my arm and hit the other side of the car. Because I was panicking the car switched off, but I managed to turn it back on again and speed off,” continued Thamane.
Bleeding heavily, and terrified for his life, the wounded man rushed straight to the nearest hospital.
Asked if he suspects he was deliberately targeted because of his occupation, Thamane shrugged of the likelihood that it was a ‘hit-job’ and emphatically replied, “I honestly just think they were trying to get the car. I do not think it’s anything work related no, ”said Thamane who was driving a Land Cruiser, Station Wagon.
Reached for comment, the Botswana Police mouth-peace Witness Bosija confirmed the incident, divulging that investigations into the matter were ongoing.
“We are investigating a case of attempted murder involving a senior executive of one of the parastatals. It is a fresh case so I cannot say much about it,” Bosija said.
Earlier this month the Police revealed that over 7, 000 Batswana had applied for permits to own firearms.
However, the Police only avail up to 50 permits a year, which are normally awarded through a raffle draw.
Deputy Commissioner at the Police headquarters, Bruno Paledi has expressed concern at the increase in unlicensed firearms in the country.
He revealed that these firearms are used in robberies, primarily in the form of pistols.
