08 Jun 2020

Maun police continue to record more cases of stock theft despite government efforts to establish a stock theft unit at Chanoga.

Botswana Police Services launched anti-stock theft operation named, Operation KgomoKhumo in 2018, which aimed to curb stock theft in Ngamiland district.

Station commander, Superintendent Chenamo Orateng revealed in an interview that stock theft was rife in some areas as they had already registered 27 cases between January and April this year.

Last year, same period, he said they recorded 30 cases and appealed to members of the community to join hands with the police to fight stock theft.

He said a team of police officers had camped at Chanoga to fight stock theft and urged the public to work with the team and assist with information of any suspicious incidents of crime.

Supt Orateng acknowledged that some people were reluctant to give information, but stated that whistle blowers were protected under the law.

Some traditional leaders have concurred that stock theft was worrisome in their villages.

Kgosi Oateng Setlhodi of Chanoga said the situation was exacerbated by the extreme social distancing regulatopn, as they experienced increased stock theft incidents at Samedupi and nearby cattle posts and farms.

He appreciated that KgomoKhumo operation had been making a breakthrough, which resulted in suspects being caught red-handed in some areas. Kgosi Setlhodi cited that during patrols, they found some cattle in the bush while the culprits had disappeared.

He also observed that the operation team was overwhelmed as they could not attend to reports on time because they were thin on the ground and covering a vast area.

Kgosi Setlhodi emphasised the need to beef up the team and available resources such as vehicles.

He also urged residents to take care of their livestock, noting that some farmers failed to build kraals resulting in animals going astray.

Kgosi Mokhutshwane Komee of Somelo also admitted that stock theft was rampant in his village, noting that since the beginning of the year they had recorded over ten stock theft cases.

The culprits, he said, were mostly young people who connived with their peers from the neighbouring areas to terrorise residents and farmers in the surrounding farms.

He also complained about parents who defended their children during police investigations, adding that some cases remained unresolved because people were withholding important information.

Residents of Somelo were mostly assisted with livestock through the Rural Area Development Programme, which aimed to improve the living standards of the communities far from services.

Kgosi Komee noted that every year about five people were assisted with five cattle and 15 goats to improve their living standards because job opportunities were almost non-existent.

Kgosi Komee complained that culprits were defeating the government efforts to uplift the livelihoods of the community and urged residents to report suspicious cases.

He stated that efforts were made to arrest some culprits and expedite cases, but expressed a concern that some culprits delayed prosecution by transferring their cases from customary courts to magistrates’ courts.

Magistrates courts, he said were overwhelmed, hence their request to have stock theft cases dealt with at customary courts to speed up cases.

He felt that as traditional leaders, they were well versed in dealing with livestock than the magistrates.

Kgosi Komee underscored the need for timely expedition of stock theft cases, saying keeping exhibits for a long time was costly to government.

He also appealed to residents to look after their livestock and brand them to help investigations.

He reported that thieves mostly targeted unbranded beasts. Ends