18 Mar 2025

Kazungula police have registered 19 cases of cross-border motor vehicle theft since 2023 to date.

In an interview, Kazungula Police Station commander Superintendent Peter Masole said all the motor vehicles were stolen from South Africa. He said of the two Toyota Fortuners impounded recently, the culprits had switched South African registration numbers to Botswana ones.

Supt Masole said the vehicles were discovered at Kazungula One Stop Border Post on transit to Zambia and other countries in Central, East and West Africa. He stated that South African nationals were mostly involved in these crimes while only two Batswana were arrested in the 19 cases.

He disclosed that all the cases were prosecuted at Kasane Magistrate’s Court, seven cases of which reached judgment. He said the vehicles commonly stolen were Toyota Fortuner, Toyota Hilux, Range Rover and Mercedes Benz.

Supt Masole indicated that they worked hand in hand with South African Police in their investigations, who furnished proof that the vehicles were stolen. He said most of the stolen vehicles entered the country through Tlokweng Border, adding that declaration and search of vehicles upon entry were not as stringent as at exiting the country. He pointed that some criminals presented false information about their trips, alluding that they were entering Botswana to visit families or shopping in Gaborone.

Supt Masole revealed that one law enforcement officer stationed at Kazungula was embroiled in cross border smuggling of stolen motor vehicles. He revealed that the said officer was detained in police custody awaiting arraignment at Nata Magistrate’s Court.

He observed that motor vehicle theft syndicates were recruiting officers to provide them with inside information for seamless execution of their crimes. Supt Masole condemned this behaviour by law enforcement officers as it tainted their reputation, adding that police officers were guided by ethics and a code of conduct that every officer has to adhere to. ENDS