08 Nov 2021

A commission of enquiry assigned to investigate livestock rustling in Bobirwa will deliver its report at the end of November, says President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi. Delivering the State-of-the-Nation Address on Monday, Dr Masisi said livestock rustling in the Bobirwa area along the Botswana/Zimbabwe border was cause for concern and had potential to threaten the livelihoods of the local community. 

“To address the situation, a Commission of Enquiry has been established and started its assignment in October. The commission will engage the affected communities and other key stakeholders to make appropriate recommendations on the mitigation measures,” he said. 

President Masisi said livestock rustling was not by any means limited to Bobirwa and further explained that government would endeavour to engage with all ‘our affected neighbours to address this organised crime’. 

Still on issues of crime, Dr Masisi said even though the advancement of technology was viewed as a positive development, it also had negative effects, with cybercrime becoming more prominent by day.

 In that regard, Dr Masisi said government would continue to facilitate the Botswana Police Service by capacitating it with the resources and expertise required to deal with the evolving digital crime. 

Dr Masisi also said a Communication Computer Incidence Response Team had been established to monitor cyber security threats and vulnerabilities. 

As such, he said a number of cyber security incidents had been foiled. 

“Furthermore, the National Computer Incidence Response Team is being established to enhance information-sharing across the economy,” he said. 

In addition, he said the country had achieved milestones in curbing the transnational and clandestine crime of human trafficking, noting that Botswana had maintained a ranking of Tier 2 out of four possible Tiers in the 2021 international rankings.

 “The annual Trafficking in Persons Report of 2020, by the United States Department of State has commended Botswana for increasing her efforts to guard against the crime. Botswana has improved by two points in the Global Peace Index and the country is ranked 41st globally,” he added. 

Furthermore, Dr Masisi said the ongoing legislative amendments to the Anti-Human Trafficking Act of 2014, planned capacitation of the judiciary and other officials within the criminal justice system, as well as the development of a new Anti-Human Trafficking National Action Plan in 2022 would ensure that ‘we continue to protect our people from the highly debilitating effects of human trafficking’. 

He said in 2020, offences relating to property declined by nine per cent, while those against the person and against morality increased by 5.9 per cent and 7.8 per cent, respectively. 

“The latter comprise defilement of persons under the age of 18, which increased by 51.1 per cent. In this regard, the police service has adopted strategies to address this worrying development. I call upon all legislators, as leaders, to condemn and take action against this worrying trend,” he said. 

The President, however, expressed delight at the fact that Botswana had been removed from the international monetary watchdog, Financial Action Task Force grey list following the country’s compliance with the task force standards. 

“We continue to strengthen national anti-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism measures.

 In this regard, government has stepped up the regulation of legal entities or arrangements through risk based supervision and monitoring,” he said. 

As a result of the improvements, President Masisi said assets worth over P200 million had been traced and referred to Directorate of Public Prosecutions for restraint applications for possible forfeiture or release. “

It is imperative that we all work collaboratively to keep our guard high and ensure we improve and never ever revert to grey listing status,” he said. ends