Botswana has historically struggled to address poaching, and the government had authorised military force with a shoot-to-kill policy to protect native fauna.
[1] The incident challenged diplomatic relations between Botswana and Namibia and began a long term escalation of the debate over BDF practices at the Botswana–Namibia border.
[6] The diplomatic aspects of the incident were complicated by the site of the killings at Sedudu, which had been the subject of an intense border dispute 21 years prior.
Namibian Lives Matter's leader Sinvula Mudabeti condemned the ruling, describing it as a "miscarriage of justice", arguing that no weapons were found at the scene.
[9] Namibia's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security launched its own investigation of BDF activity on the Chobe River in July 2022.