VZCZCXRO6175
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHOR #0475/01 1620814
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110814Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY GABORONE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5825
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GABORONE 000475 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/S, AF/RSA, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM MOPS ASEC KCRM BC
SUBJECT: MEDIA FRENZY OVER SUSPECT SHOT BY SECURITY OFFICERS 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On May 13 at approximately 2300 hours, John 
Kalafatis, a suspected criminal, was shot and killed in Gaborone, 
allegedly by military intelligence officers.  Though government 
spokespersons say that Kalafatis was killed during an exchange of 
gunfire while resisting a legitimate arrest, lawyers for the 
victim's family raise serious questions about the incident, 
including why military officers rather than ordinary police were 
involved and how/why Kalafatis was allegedly shot at close range. 
Botswana's sensational and fairly irresponsible media are in full 
frenzy over the case, and their work has been made easier by the 
Khama administration's poor handling of the press.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Suspect Killed in Shoot-Out May 13 
---------------------------------- 
¶2. (SBU) Though questions remain about the death of John Kalafatis, 
it is clear that he died of gunshot wounds on May 13 in Gaborone 
around 2300 hours.  According to the initial police report on the 
incident (copy obtained by RSO) Botswana Defense Force (BDF) 
military intelligence officers approached a vehicle parked outside 
of a Gaborone bar and ordered the three men inside to step out.  Two 
of the men complied, while the third (Kalafatis) refused to come 
out.  The police report then says that "suddenly an exchange of 
gunfire erupted" and Kalafatis was "caught by bullets and sustained 
multiple gunshot wounds."  Kalafatis was reportedly transported to 
Princess Marina hospital in Gaborone and pronounced dead in the 
early hours of May 14. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Kalafatis family engaged local human rights lawyers 
Dick Bayford and Duma Boko to investigate the shooting.  The 
attorneys have made numerous statements to local press, calling 
Kalafatis's death a "murder" and alleging that he was unarmed man 
"executed" by Botswana's security forces.  (Note: In addition to his 
work as a human rights lawyer, Dick Bayford is actively involved in 
politics and is a supporter of the opposition Botswana Congress 
Party.  Government sources allege that Bayford's politics color his 
portrayal of government in this case.  End Note.)  In addition, the 
victim's family engaged a private pathologist from South Africa to 
perform an independent autopsy on the body.  Bayford and Boko told 
the media June 1 that the pathologist's report concludes that 
Kalafatis had been struck by at least 10 bullets, and that any one 
of the wounds could have killed him.  The attorneys also announced 
that the pathologist believes that at least one of the bullets was 
shot at close range (approximately 15 cm).  The Government of 
Botswana has held at least two press conferences on the shooting, 
but has declined to give many details about the incident pending the 
completion of investigations.  The consistent government explanation 
of the Kalafatis incident is that government security officers shot 
a dangerous criminal suspect while attempting to apprehend him. 
Once ongoing investigations are complete, the government will be 
able to discuss more fully the circumstances of the shooting.  A 
police spokesman said on June 5 that the inquest on Kalafatis should 
be completed by the end of June. 
 
Who Was John Kalafatis? 
----------------------- 
¶4. (U) Despite initial press accounts which painted Kalafatis as a 
beloved family member and victim of government brutality, an article 
in the local daily "Mmegi" newspaper on June 8 seems to confirm the 
government's stated position that Kalafatis was a hardened criminal 
(or in South African slang a "tsotsi") and was wanted by police on 
numerous charges at the time of his death.  According to Mmegi, 
32-year old John Kalafatis has a long and varied criminal record 
dating back to at least 1995.  He has been convicted of drug 
possession, assault, armed robbery, vehicle theft, and unlawful 
weapons possession.  He served several jail sentences and, in 1999, 
escaped from prison, was captured, and re-jailed.  The newspaper 
report also cites police sources as saying that Kalafatis was 
"extremely slippery" and known to use disguises to evade capture, 
including growing a long beard and pretending to be a Muslim cleric. 
 (Note: Kalafatis is an olive-skinned citizen of Botswana and his 
family is Orthodox Christian, not Muslim.  End Note.)  At the time 
of his death, police were allegedly tracking Kalafatis in connection 
with a series of attacks on ATM machines using explosives.  At least 
three ATM locations in Botswana were attacked this way between July 
2008 and April 2009. 
 
Botswana Media Frenzy: Khama Accused of "Ordering a Hit" 
------------------------ ------------------------------- 
¶5. (U) Initial media reports on the shooting alleged that Kalafatis 
was suspected of burglarizing a farm belonging to President Khama's 
sister.  The May 17 edition of the "Sunday Standard" newspaper went 
so far as to describe the President riding on a motorbike to rush to 
his sister's house after the alleged robbery and plotting with GOB 
security officials to "find and punish" those responsible.  The 
Standard also alleged that President Khama personally ordered a 
"hit" on John Kalafatis as retribution for this robbery.  Government 
spokesmen of course deny this story, and contend that there was 
 
GABORONE 00000475  002 OF 002 
 
 
never even a robbery of the President's sister's home, let alone any 
order by the President for retribution.  The President's personal 
attorney has filed a defamation lawsuit asking for damages of 
850,000 pula (USD 121,400) against the Sunday Standard after they 
refused to retract the story and apologize.  Meanwhile, attorneys 
Bayford and Bomo (the same men representing the Kalafatis family) 
announced June 7 that they will file a countersuit against President 
Khama on behalf of the Standard.  The countersuit will "challenge 
the legitimacy of Khama's presidency," according to the Standard. 
The local private media has had a contentious relationship with the 
Khama administration for many months.  The Botswana media 
strenuously object to the Media Bill passed in 2008, which they 
allege strengthens government control over the press.  Government 
also inflamed press animosity by holding a press conference on the 
Kalafatis matter on May 19 and barring reporters from private media 
houses from attending.  After considerable criticism for this move, 
the government held a subsequent press conference May 26, at which 
all reporters were welcome. 
 
GOB lacks PR Savvy, Media Sensational and Irresponsible 
--------------------------- --------------------------- 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: It is unfortunate that the Kalafatis case seems to 
have taken on a life of its own in Botswana's sensational media 
environment.  Too often, the newspapers here uncritically report 
rumors and innuendo, and many stories about the Kalafatis case are 
so wild as to seem impossible.  In addition to claiming Khama 
personally ordered Kalafatis' death, the papers have recently made 
poorly substantiated allegations about "foreign mercenaries" used by 
Botswana's intelligence service and they have reported on random 
citizens who claim to have been "tortured" by police for no apparent 
reason.  The newspapers appear to print all allegations against the 
government, no matter how far-fetched, and require no documentation 
or confirmation of facts. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The irresponsible media has however been given grist for 
the mill by the Khama government, whose relationship with the local 
press has been prickly for months.  In addition to the storm over 
the government-only press conference, the media had a field day with 
a May 18 statement by Vice President Mompati Merafhe that "one or 
two shootings could not dent the country's reputation on rule of 
law."  Though widely reported as callous and indicative of the 
"authoritarian" bent of this government, Merafhe's statement was 
simply poorly spun and reflects a lack of media savvy by government. 
 In full context, Merafhe's statement is entirely harmless.  He 
notes that "such incidents (shootings) are to be avoided, but that 
when faced with danger, security forces are obliged to respond to 
force with force." 
 
¶8. (SBU) Post looks forward to hearing more about the circumstances 
surrounding the death of John Kalafatis when the inquest and other 
internal investigations are completed later this month.  Clearly 
Kalafatis was a hardened criminal, a "tsotsi", who was wanted on 
serious charges, but there is still considerable public shock over 
the nature of his death.  It will be important for the GOB to give a 
full and credible account of what happened the evening of May 13 in 
order to repair the damage done by these serious allegations.  Any 
explanation by government must address some troubling questions 
about the Kalafatis shooting, especially why military intelligence 
officers (and not ordinary police) were attempting to arrest him, 
and why he was allegedly shot at least once at close range.  Post 
will continue to follow this case with great interest and report 
subsequent developments.  END COMMENT. 
 
NOLAN