18 Aug 2014

It is the responsibility of every country to sharpen the saw in order to make sure that criminals are brought to justice.


Upon realising the rise in stock theft and that many stock theft cases were lost in courts due to failure to produce enough evidence, government introduced non-human DNA testing on livestock to help protect Batswana from being cheated by thieves. 


Officiating at the anti- stock theft workshop recently, a forensic scientist Ms Gagotheko Sirang pleaded with the police to find other means of evidence in stock theft cases before they resort to DNA in order to reduce delays caused by awaiting results in cases of stock theft.


She explained that DNA testing for livestock was a new development, therefore it faced challenges of a limited capacity of trained personnel as there are only two officers currently trained in Botswana.


Ms Sirang said there was a need for building capacity with stakeholders as there are challenges which make stock theft DNA testing a long process, highlighting that unlike in humans, levels in breeding are high in animals as cattle graze in a free range where they meet with different bulls from other kraals.


She also said another challenge they face was a restricted movement of DNA samples from the foot and mouth disease red zones areas.


Inspector John Fisher, an investigator from Mahalapye police station commended government for introducing cattle DNA testing, saying it was a very good initiative that will help Batswana as they lost many cases of stock theft due to the fact that they could not afford to do the DNA tests as they are expensive. Ends