25 Jun 2026

The Botswana Police Service (BPS) has raised concern over a sharp increase in cybercrime, warning that criminals are increasingly exploiting technology to commit a range of offences.

Presenting the police service report before the Public Accounts Committee in Gaborone on Wednesday, the BPS commissioner Ms Dinah Marathe said cybercrime had increased by 25 per cent during the year under review.

She expressed concern that criminals were increasingly using technology to commit online fraud, identity theft, cyberbullying, online exploitation and other cyber-related offences.

The commissioner said the police service was responding by leveraging technology through initiatives such as safer city programmes, CCTV monitoring systems, traffic enforcement technologies and digital communication platforms.

She revealed that the safer city programme had expanded surveillance camera coverage to key points of entry, including Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, Tlokweng, Ramatlabama, Pioneer Gate, Ramotswa, Martins Drift, Maitengwe, Kazungula, Mohembo and Mamuno borders.

According to Ms Marathe, the interventions had significantly strengthened border security, situational awareness, crime detection and law enforcement response capabilities.

She said plans were underway to further expand surveillance cameras to other major villages and critical national infrastructure.

“From police headquarters, we are able to monitor what is happening at Maitengwe border, what is happening at Martins Drift border,” she added explaining that the project wasongoing across the country.

Commissioner Marathe also highlighted a major milestone in the fight against technology-facilitated crime against children, saying Botswana had become the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to connect to the Interpol International Child Sexual Exploitation Database.

The development, she said had significantly strengthened the country’s capacity to investigate technology-facilitated crimes against children and demonstrated the country’s commitment to international law enforcement cooperation.

The commissioner also noted that supportive legislation remained critical in the digital era, adding that many progressive countries had adopted integrated data hubs and enhanced information-sharing frameworks to strengthen law enforcement capabilities, improve service delivery and better protect citizens and residents from evolving security threats. ENDS