16 Oct 2017

The Botswana Police Service says its law enforcement strategy is bearing fruit across the country.

Speaking in an interview, deputy Botswana Police Service public relations officer, assistant commissioner Dipheko Motube said drug and drug abuse had impacted heavily not only on the economic aspect of the country, but also to peace and tranquility that used to prevail in Botswana.

Economic wise, Mr Motube explained that drugs were very expensive and drug addicts resorted to criminal activities such as murder, robbery, common assaults and stealing from persons in order to finance their habits.

“They (drug addicts) have to resort to crimes so that they can buy these expensive drugs,” he added, adding that these drugs such as cocaine and dagga fuel serious crimes such as murder, amongst others.

Assistant commissioner Motube further explained that Botswana was no longer a livable country because of the increase in the number of illegal drugs and this had some serious repercussions on investors who wanted to bring foreign revenue into the country. 

He advised Batswana to stand-up and fight drug usage especially amongst the youth, who were the leaders of tomorrow, adding that the family was the first social agency before any other institution, hence the saying , Charity begins at home.

Meanwhile, statistics from the police indicate that there were 3 648 cases of dagga reported to the police since 2012 to date.

From the figure 4 648 Batswana and 258 non-citizens were arrested in connection with these cases.

During the same period, the police arrested 117 Batswana and 18 foreigners for being found in possession of cocaine.

In 2015, another drug called Meth-cathinone came into the spotlight and police arrested 102 Batswana and 11 non-citizens Batswana who were found in possession of the drug out of the 79 cases recorded since then to date. 

The drug also trading by the name “CAT” is an illegal stimulant drug that bears a chemical resemblance to both methamphetamine and cathinone and it is relatively simple to make and gains a wide range of users in neighbouring South Africa.

The police have also arrested four men in connection with 10 cases of robberies that occurred in various places in Gaborone recently.

The robbers, allegedly using a RAV4 vehicle, have been terrorising residents of Gaborone by stealing their valuables such as lady’s handbags, wallets, laptops and cellphones. 

Assistant commissioner Motube explained that the robbers, aged between 28-35 years, were found in possession of some of the suspected stolen properties such as victims’ driver’s licenses, bank credit cards and Identity cards, which they failed to account for.

The police also reported one case of cocaine in which a man was found in possession of the substance.

Mr Motube appealed to Batswana to be law abiding citizens and called on parents to play their parental role in fighting drug and drug abuse amongst their children . BOPA