03 Jul 2024

A 42-year-old man lost his life after he was trampled upon by an elephant Sunday night at Samedupi settlement in the outskirt of Maun. Maun Police Station Commander, Superintendent Dennis Zilawe confirmed the incident in an interview saying they received a report Monday from a wildlife officer residing at the settlement and rushed to the scene where they discovered the body in the bush. He said one of the villagers said they heard elephants noise at night and suspected the incident happened around that time. He warned communities in Maun and surrounding villages to be cautious, avoid walking at night and report roaming animals to relevant authorities adding that due to the drying of water sources, animals such as elephants had encroached settlements in search of water. In another incident, Maun police arrested two men aged 30 and 39 of Sedie and Matlapana wards in Maun for hunting a buffalo without a license at Daunara settlement on Monday. Superintendent Zilawe said the duo, who was driving a safari vehicle, was stopped and searched by members of the Botswana Defence Force who discovered a tonne of meat suspected to be game meat. “The BDF engaged police officers and the suspects took them to the scene where they killed the buffalo. Investigations are ongoing and the duo will appear before the magistrate,” he said. Still in Maun, Supt Zilawe said a 27-year-old man was in police custody to help with investigations related to the death of his four-year-old child. He said the relatives of the deceased reported the matter to the police following a post-mortem report, which indicated that the child had injuries suspected to have been inflicted by someone. Ends