12 Aug 2018

Maun police have decided to enforce all laws and stop the option of monetary charges to deter operators who operate illegally.

All along, the police had been charging operators money and they have observed that they continued committing the same offence, and that they also experienced a high number of stock theft incidents.

The station commander, Superintendent Motlhaba Ramabya warned the operators during an engagement meeting organised by the district crime prevention committee, saying “no more monetary fines going forward as we have realised that you have a lot of money to pay.

We are going to enforce the written laws and I believe you will see the benefits in the long run,” he added.

Meanwhile, the stock theft act states that any person who steals stock or produce, or receives any stock or produce knowing or having reason to believe it to be stolen stock or produce shall be guilty of an offence and notwithstanding the provisions of any other written law shall be sentenced for a first offence to a term of imprisonment of not less than five years or more than 10 years without the option of a fine, and for the second or subsequent offence to a term of imprisonment for not less than seven years or more than 14 years without the option of a fine.

Superintendent Ramabya revealed that taking the legal route would be the best solution as the culprits would be detained for 48 hours, their stock and licenses seized while police continued with investigations to establish where the meat or produce came from.

He said it would also help and encourage operators to do the right thing to protect their reputation and businesses. He further said they had been lenient and making a mistake to charge operators, but realised that had exacerbated the situation of stock theft as some operators continued to receive meat or produce through illegal means and illegal slaughter.

In addition, he said the operators were compromising the quality and hygiene of the meat.

The station commander said high statistics of stock theft was worrisome, noting that last year they recorded 73 cases that involved more than 500 animals.

This year, the police have registered 44 cases also involving a high number of animals. Superintendent Ramabya said their efforts to control the situation was frustrated by operators who connived with perpetrators.

He pointed out that recently they found cattle heads and skins hidden in a hole in the Okavango Delta, adding that some people knew the culprits but decided to keep silent because they bought the meat from them.

For his part, the chairperson of the district crime prevention committee, Kgosi Babinang Majatsie said stock theft was worrisome, adding that it had come to their attention that some butcher operators bought meat from culprits.

He also raised concern about some young people who resided at some nearby cattle posts whom he said owned many cattle. He said it raised suspicion since there was no evidence on the traceability of the animals.

Kgosi Majatsie suspected that some youth might have stolen calves from as far as Lake Ngami and branded them while still young.

He urged the police to investigate the matter. He said the police alone could not win the battle and called all to take part.

Some operators urged law enforcers to improve their working relationship with them, noting that at times they make efforts to report suspicious incidents but to no vain.ENDS