21 Aug 2017

Mochudi Police in collaboration with Bodungwane community in Mochudi West Constituency organised a stock theft crime prevention training workshop to sensitise farmers and the community on strategies that can help address the crime.

Speaking during the training workshop in Bodungwane on Saturday, president of the Customary Court of Appeal Kgosi Mothibe Linchwe said there were many cases of stock theft in the country hence the need for police to come up with ways of working with the community to strengthen their policing and enhance strategies that will bring the perpetrators to justice.

Kgosi Mothibe commended the police together with the community for joining efforts to fight crime which has empoverished farmers.

He said training would give participants an opportunity to learn approaches that could help fight crime.

He also implored law enforcers to make sure that they carry out their duties with due diligence to avoid cases where thieves get scot free due to negligence.

Kgosi Mothibe said the nation was beginning to lose hope on law enforcers because almost 90 per cent of the accused people who appeal their cases got their freedom sometimes on technical grounds because of some glitches in the charge sheet or evidence.

He therefore emphasised the importance of gathering all the evidence and recording it appropriately to avoid incidences where there was lack of evidence to pass judgment on the crime.

He also advised law enforcers to resource themselves well and read Botswana Constitution and any other law which they work with to enhance their understanding so that they carry out their job well.

Kgosi Mothibe encouraged farmers to brand their cattle more so that stock theft trend has changed as those who do it have come up with new strategies.

When giving the district crime overview, senior Supt Kevin Mookodi said crime remained a challenge in the district.

He said so far they were handling 28 cases and in one of them, more than 20 Bonsmara cows were stolen from Suping in South Africa. He however said they were able to identify the owner.

Senior Supt Mookodi implored the community to report stock theft incidences as that will help them arrest the culprits.

He said they have registered 60 house break ins in a month and most of these cases were from Boseja, Phaphane, Makakatlela and Rasesa with Boseja recording most cases.

He further said copper cable theft was also a concern, having registered 42 cases in the last three months ending June.

When giving the objectives of the workshop, Mochudi Crime Prevention Committee chairperson Ms Sekgethelo Thathau said the training seeks to sensitise farmers on the Stock Theft Act and work together with all stakeholders to end stock theft crime.

She said another objective was to find ways to fight crime and discuss strategies that will help them work together towards a safe and secure nation.

The workshop was held under the theme: Strengthening partnership with the community by taking policing services to the public, for a safe and secure Nation by 2036. ENDS