DNA tests delay rhino poaching case

Boniface Keakabetse | Monday June 23, 2014 11:07

 

Once the DNA tests are in, the police say they will proceed with the case even without the fifth suspect, a Zimbabwean man suspected to have skipped the country with the rhino horn.

Assistant superintendent Moathodi Ntuane told The Monitor that one of the accuseds was found with meat believed to belong to the dead rhino and the collected samples of the meat were sent for DNA testing.  The tests were conducted in Gaborone and South Africa.

Ntuane added that they were still on the hunt for a Zimbabwean man, Partson Tapera Gotora, who is suspected to have acquired the rhino horn. He said the Zimbabwean who lived in Francistown at the time of the crime was never caught adding that they suspect he is in his native Zimbabwe or South Africa.

Ntuane said last year, they made application for Gotora to be included in Interpol’s red alert or the international wanted persons alert but a year later, he has not been caught.

He, however, stated that once the DNA results have been availed the case will continue with or without Gotora.

Amongst the accused persons are two Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) employees, WUC driver Jacob Thabare (42), and a plumber Keorapetse Itheetseng (33). Others are Morafe Disalahoo (51) of Nxaraga village, and George Thimbumburu (37) from Sedie ward in Maun.

The four appeared last year before Magistrate Clifford Foroma. All the five, including Gotora, were jointly charged with killing a Rhinoceros.

Meanwhile Ntuane told The Monitor that another set of five men, four Batswana and a Zimbabwean, were caught at Toteng recently in possession of two elephant tusks. He said the group was arrested on June 8 and have appeared before Maun magistrate on an elephant tusks possession charge.

They are to appear again for plea on June 24. He said the four accused Batswana are out on bail while the Zimbabwean man has been remanded in custody as he is considered a flight risk.

Ntuane said their investigations confirm that cases where locals collaborate with foreign poaching syndicates are rising in Ngamiland.