Post Office boss, three others arrested over alleged staged robbery
Pini Bothoko | Monday April 6, 2026 16:56
According to the police, the post office had received old age pension funds on March 31, 2026, and it is suspected that the accused began siphoning the money shortly after its arrival.
Confirming the development, Tatitown Police Station Commander, Superintendent Oscar Bayani, said the quartet allegedly stole more than P300,000. Police have since recovered over P150,000 from the branch manager.
Bayani explained that officers received a robbery report from the post office at around 11:30am on April 1. Upon arrival, they conducted preliminary investigations, during which a security officer reported that a man had come asking to see the branch manager and was escorted to her office.
“Moments after the man left, the manager allegedly emerged from her office crawling, with her hands and legs tied and her face covered with a cloth, claiming she had been robbed,” Bayani said.
However, the dramatic account quickly raised suspicion.
Bayani noted that the manager did not call for help despite the presence of several people inside the post office at the time, including elderly pensioners who had come to collect their payments.
In her initial statement, the manager claimed that the suspect entered her office, assaulted her, and produced an object resembling a firearm while demanding money.
“She alleged that, fearing for her life, she opened the safe. The suspect then tied her up, took the money, and fled,” Bayani said.
But under intensive questioning, the story began to unravel.
The branch manager reportedly admitted that the robbery had been staged, leading investigators to uncover a wider, premeditated plot involving four suspects.
“Further investigations led to the recovery of more than P150,000 from her, and efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining balance,” Bayani added.
Police have since established that the alleged robbery was carefully planned and executed, involving the branch manager and three men aged 40, 41, and 44.
The suspects are expected to appear before the Francistown Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
The branch manager has been charged with stealing by servant, while her co-accused face robbery charges. Investigations are ongoing as police work to recover the outstanding funds and determine the full extent of the scheme.