Threats of violence on Mookodi Seisa by a section of some Township Rollers supporters forced police officers to escort him all the way back home. Assistant Superintendent Gontse Segale confirmed to Pula24 that they had had to quell the raging tempers of the fans who threatened to harm Seisa after the BR Highlanders 2-1 victory against Rollers in Molepolole last weekend.
All hell broke loose when warring factions of Rollers’ supporters started attacking each other after their side suffered their first defeat of the season. A supporte horde of supporters clad in Rollers regalia stormed the grand stand where Rollers interim management committee had been siting and started throwing missiles and empty cans, baying for Seisa’s blood. Seisa had been a member of the Rollers’ interim committee until the club’s weekend AGM, but fans felt he was the reason there were problems at the club, leading to their loss.
“Come out Seisa we want to beat you up,” they threatened. The charged atmosphere grew more hostile until the club’s newly-elected President Dickson Gabanakgosi intervened. He called for calm but the angry fans threatened to beat him up as well.
However, after a while, the mob left the stadium only to regroup again at the main gate in a mean mood threatening to go physical on Seisa. The Molepolole police were called in to rescue Seisa from the seething mob. “They got him out of the stadium through the back gate and used the Thamaga road to escort him to Gaborone,” a seemingly disappointed Rollers fan told Pula24 once it was clear Seisa was no longer inside the stadium.
Segale, the Molepolole Police station commander, confirmed to Pula24 that indeed they had to rescue Seisa after a section of supporters threatened to beat him up. “We hear that they were not comfortable with what he said on radio. They threatened to beat him because they felt he was happy with their club’s loss,” said Segale.
Seisa later denied ever celebrating BR Highlanders’ goal as was said by some Rollers supporters who claimed to have seen him celebrate. “I was misinterpreted on that radio interview, I answered a question that was asked and people misunderstood me. And it is not true that I celebrated when Highlanders scored,” he said.
Segale, the police boss, has since appealed to all clubs’ supporters to resolve differences within their structures and through the right channels without resorting to violence. “That constitutes a criminal offence and perpetrators can be taken to jail and charged,” he warned.
On the other hand, Gabanakgosi urged members to desist from rushing to the Press every time there is an internal issue, but rather leave that to those mandated to deal with the Press.
Mookodi Seisa had to be escorted via Thamaga road back to Gaborone last Saturdsy
