Fake police officers arrested
Victor Muyakwabo | Friday March 14, 2014 16:21
The three suspected conmen were wanted by Gaborone West Police in connection with allegedly obtaining an amount of P 13,000 from their victim claiming to be clearing agents for import second hand vehicles. According to a source within the police service, the three men are said to have managed to swindle a woman who wanted to clear a car she had recently brought.
“The suspects agreed with the woman that they would clear her car, but demanded money to pay the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) and the Criminal Investigation Department”, said a source. He also told Mmegi that the suspects then requested more money, which they claimed would be payment at the Department of Transport and Safety.
The source added that the suspects were arrested at the time when they claimed they were police officers on a mission to arrest the woman, who panicked and agreed to pay the suspects some money to avoid the false arrest. She gave them an amount of P 13,000 and agreed to pay off the balance the following day.
By Thursday, around 1050hrs in the morning the CID arranged a fake meeting between the lady and the suspects, which was to take place at a shopping complex in Block 5.
Eye witnesses said five plain clothes officers arrived at the mall and positioned themselves around the mall; “Two of them took cover under a vendor’s umbrella while others stood in front of the shops”, she said. In a space of about 10 minutes, one of the officers who was seating under the umbrella signalled and all the police officers quickly surrounded the suspects and warned them that should they attempt to escape they would shoot them”.
They then drove away with the three suspects and the woman on board. Gaborone West Commander, Superintendent Agreement Mapeucnfirmed the incident but indicated that it was still too early to comment on the case.