A night of festive fun ended sourly for revellers at Maun’s BP Bar and Restaurant last Saturday when police stormed the small joint, stopped the party and clashed with patrons in a encounter that landed a few in hospital.
Speaking to Okavango Voice Khumo Poloko, who runs the bar with her family, narrated what she describes as harassment at the hands of the police.
“The police stormed into our bar at around 8’clock. They did not ask to speak to us as management but instead they went straight to our DJ and took his equipment. When we tried to talk to them they told us that they do not have anything to say to us,” explained Poloko.
According to Poloko when some customers tried to enquire as to what could be the problem the police started firing rubber bullets at their customers and injured some in the process.
” They fired rubber bullets at customers and injured some of them, they also damaged our properties, our display and windows are cracked but they are not even interested to see the damage they have caused” revealed Poloko adding that when they followed the matter up they were told that the people who stay around the proximity of their bar had called the police complaining of noise from the bar.
However Poloko revealed that it was not the first time the police came to their bar complaining of noise yet they do not play music louder than any other bar in Maun.
“We have done nothing to warrant this kind of harassment. We have only hired a DJ last month in a bid to promote our businesses since Covid 19 has also affected us. As we speak they have taken our DJ’s equipment and we have been told to play a small music box if we want to entertain our customers” explained Poloko.
Poloko further complained that this entire ordeal has affected their business negatively as they had to close before time and the turn out has also decreased because customers are scared that the police might strike again.
Although Poloko has insisted that that they have not been charged for anything the police are adamant that they have charged her and the DJ of noise pollution and public nuisance.
Narrating the ordeal one of the injured revelers Mothusi Basimane explained that he was caught off guard by a rubber bullet whilst entering the bar to buy another round of drinks.
“I don’t know what caused the commotion, I was just entering the bar when a rubber bullet hit me and injured me on my arm before another one landed on a certain lady’s belly. When I looked back I saw the police firing at us and some chasing other customers,’’ explained Basimane who then decided to approach the police to tell them that he’s been injured.
“I went to them and told them I got injured but they couldn’t careless, I went with them to the police so that they can at least give me the document that shows that I have been injured so that I can get medical treatment. My niece then paid cab fare for me and I went to Maun General hospital. Although the wound is healing my arm is still numb,” said Basimane.
For his part, Maun Station Commander Chenamo Orateng revealed that on Saturday the police who were patrolling at the time went to BP bar as they received a complaint about noise coming from there and when they arrived they got attacked by revellers.
“Some revelers attacked the police when they charged the DJ for Noise and Nuisance. They started throwing bottles at them and damaged one of the police cars,” said Orateng adding that he cannot confirm or deny the shooting as they were still investigating.
Dibara di tsosa modumo thata mo Maun.Why hire a dj to play at the bar?