Counterfeit Goods Producers On Rampage

By Bame Piet
Staff Writer | Monday November 10, 2008 00:00

This emerged at a press briefing on Friday addressed by Botswana Police officers and Microsoft representative from Kenya Abed Hlatshwayo. Addressing the media, Assistant Superintendent Near Bagali, from the public relations office said if intellectual property infringement is left unchecked it can be of great harm to the economy of any country therefore need to combat it with seriousness. 'Our country has its own creative talents which brings us joy and enriches our lives.  Unfortunately, the artists' rights are trampled upon by unscrupulous business people who operate with less regard to other people's interests.  The entertainment industry, for example, is growing in music, film and other creative arts, which task all custodians of the law to protect all intellectual property rights accruing from such industries with no compromise,' he said.

He said that the Botswana Police Service is training its officers, including other agencies such as the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, and Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS).  He revealed that the Botswana Police Service, in conjunction with other stakeholders, drafted a new practical skills manual for Botswana criminal property investigators, the first edition of the Botswana Handbook for Criminal Intellectual Property Investigations - Best Practices for combating Intellectual Property Crimes.Assitant Superintendent Maniki, who was Assistant Superintendent Lebalang Maniki, and Inspector Cornenius Tsholofelo both from Central Police Station in Gaborone, revealed that in a recent operation they recorded six cases, arrested three suspects in connection with sale of counterfeit Puma t-shirts, shoes, and caps.  He said other cases involved counterfeit cassettes, and CDs.

Some of the cases are before courts while others are under investigation.The police appealed to artists and members of the public to report suspected counterfeit goods to the police.Hlatshwayo revealed that Microsoft is working with the  Police to identify companies dealing in counterfeit software.  He said that governments are losing billions of revenue in tax evasion and loss of jobs because of piracy.

He stated that software is like any other intellectual property,  whose owner suffers when it is pirated.  The police explained that the copyright law is complex and there is nothing much they can do if victims do not complain to them. Meanwhile, Solomon Monyame of the Copyright Collecting Society of Botswana praised the police for the work they are doing.  He said they are working together with the police to fight intellectual property crimes. He revealed that government is working on a project to deal with the sale and distribution of recordable/empty CDs, DVDs and cassettes.