13 Jan 2026

More resources have been deployed to intensify the ongoing search for the missing 27-year-old Kasane man, Mr Tlwaelo Elias.

In an interview, station commander for Kasane Police, Superintendent James Maabong stated that an airboat had arrived from Maun to reinforce surveillance as  the search continued. Furthermore, he said scuba divers had also been deployed to conduct an intensive search in the river.

Superintendent Maabong said as days progress, a helicopter would be dispatched at the Chobe Zambezi River confluence for aerial surveillance. He said police investigations were ongoing to establish what could have transpired for Mr Elias to go missing.

He said Elias was reported missing by his family on Friday, upon which the police launched a search which covered areas from Kasane as far as the CTO fuel depot in Kazungula.

Superintendent Maabong revealed that on Saturday, some whistle-blowers told the police that they spotted clothes that appeared to be a men’s along Chobe River near Cresta Mowana Lodge.

He stated that police rushed to the scene where they discovered a trouser, a jacket, flip flops and a cellphone in one of the pockets of the clothing items. He alleged that it appeared that the owner of the clothes undressed to take a bath in the river because there was a bath soap at the scene.

Furthermore, Mr Maabong said the sister confirmed to had given Mr Tlwaelo a bar of soap after he expressed the desire to take a bath at the river. 

“We found the clothes hanging on a tree which could mean that he left them there to take a bath in the river but we do not yet have substantive leads to what could have transpired if at all he dipped into the river.”

The station commander explained that the clothes were taken to the police forensic lab in Gaborone for tests to confirm if they belonged to Mr Elias.

He thanked Kgaphamadi Ward residents  for joining hands with the police to search for their neighbour, adding that this made police endeavours more effective. BOPA