15 Jun 2022

A woman, who was recently caught at the Ramatlabama Border Post with a suspected stolen vehicle, is still in police custody.

Ramatlabama police station commander, Superintendent Zibani Mbisani, said the accussed, appeared in court on June 7, but was remanded in custody after the investigators realised that the vehicle might be proceeds of crime committed in South Africa

He said they were informed by their South African counterparts, through Interpol, that the vehicle was stolen from the owner in Pretoria in South Africa. “So we are still waiting for the owner to come with relevant documents to identify it,” he said.

Superintendent  Mbisani said the 27-year-old woman, who was arrested after she failed to adequately answer some questions from the police immediately after she crossed into Botswana from South Africa, will appear again for mention on June 21 in Lobatse.

He stated that they had since realised that SUVs and other expensive vehicles were normally stolen from South Africa and sold in neighbouring countries“Most of the times they use Botswana as an exit route. That is why we have since decided to scrutinize all the drivers and check all relevant documents to verify if indeed people are not driving stolen vehicles,” he saidHe said they suspected that there was a syndicate operating in most SADC countries, which often stole vehicles from one side and sold them within the region

Superintendent Mbisani said there was a high likelihood that the South African authorities might apply for extradition as they said they had been looking for the vehicle in question. ENDS