Sub Inspector Christopher Phazha Thapa (46) who shot his wife and turned the gun on himself last weekend in Mogoditshane will be buried this coming weekend.

According to sources who spoke to this publication at Mogoditshane Police camp, Thapa’s marriage had been on the rocks for some time and the couple was intending to divorce soon.

“Their marriage had turned sour. They were in the process of divorcing. It is not yet clear what could have transpired on the day he shot his wife and himself but we suspect they fought and he shot her,” a source close to the deceased said. Thapa, who hails from Makaleng in the North-East district was a very active cop during the Kgomo Khumo Operation, an initiative meant to stem out cattle rustling in the country. Botswana Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Dipheko Motube who leads the Kgomo Khumo Operation was not comfortable going into details about Thapa.

However, he confirmed that Thapa’s 39-year-old wife is currently hospitalised after surviving bullets that were fired at her by her husband.

He added that the incident happened at the Mogoditshane police camp in the evening.

The weekend incident is the second in a space of two months this year in which a woman was shot by a cop using service rifle and then kill themselves. Back in September 2022, constable Baleseng Jupiter Moroke (34) shot and killed his 36-year-old female colleague Onneile Molapong using his service rifle at Sese Veterinary Gate near Serule village.

The officer further shot at and wounded another officer, 56, and finally turned the gun on himself.

Allegations at the time were that Molapong and Moroke were lovers, however, Molapong’s family said they were not sure as their daughter had never introduced Moroke to them.

Asked if BPS is not worried that cops are now turning murderous using service guns, Motube said, “I can only talk about the Mogoditshane

incident.”