Police net closing in on arsonist
FRANCISTOWN: Mahalapye police are on the heels of a suspected arsonist who set fire to the village’s magistrate court on July 14. The suspect, who is still at large, is believed to be part of the trio that recently attacked the night watchman manning the premises Botshelo Koobokile, before setting the courthouse on fire in what is suspected to have been an attempt to destroy the court records.

Pilane assails evidence of Basarwa witness
GANTSI: Yesterday, the lead state counsel in the Basarwa case Sydney Pilane continued where he left off last week when he launched an onslaught on the evidence of a witness as the proceedings resumed here. After assailing the evidence of Australia-based anthropologist Dr. George Silberbauer at the New Xade session, Pilane made life difficult for Amogelang Segootsane - the first Mosarwa witness yesterday.

All party farce
TODAY’S meeting of the All Party Conference is bound to be a farce if the main opposition parties carry out their threat to boycott it. The only parties likely to attend are the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and two opposition minnows, MELS and the Botswana Labour Party (BLP). By yesterday, the leaders of the main opposition parties were still firm that they would not attend the meeting meant to choose members of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

A chip off the old block
FRANCISTOWN: Newly elected Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) youth chairman owes his inspiration in life to his father. Peter Meswele says that his late father and former cabinet minister, Washington Meswele greatly influenced his life and he has been trying to emulate him throughout his life.

Jail my son, mother pleads with court
FRANCISTOWN: A 50 year-old Phase IV widow on Monday pleaded with the Monarch Customary Court to jail her troublesome son for assaulting and harassing her. Reacting to the six month suspended sentence imposed by the court, Nani Tafila said her son Boitumelo threatened to kill her and hence he should be jailed. She said it was not fair for the court to give her first born 30-year-old son a suspended sentence for what he had done.

Youth Centre under threat of closure
THE Francistown-based Bopaganang Basha Youth Centre (BBYC) is threat ened with closure due to financial constraints. The institution has been hampered by lack of finances since its formation in 2002. According to the Basha coordinator Clive Maluke, the financial woes have delayed the implementation of programmes and impeded the achievement of objectives. This is because many volunteer fulltime personnel at the centre have left for greener pastures.