Stock theft prevalence worries police
Lindiwe Mozola | Tuesday April 11, 2017 16:45
Letlhakane police station commander, Superintendent Michael Maphephu said that since the beginning of the year, they have recorded 20 cases of stocktheft.
“This is an alarming number given the fact that the year has just began and Lekgadikgadi area recorded a high number of cases since there are no herdsman looking after the stock.
Last year, during the first quarter we recorded 14 cases of stocktheft,” he said. He said that on March 22 three cattle were killed in Makgadikgadi area and their heads and leather found burried in a pit. He said five men have been arraigned in conjuction with the incident.
Furthermore, on the 24th of the same month three cattle were found slaughtered at a certain butchery without permit and three men were arrested.
This, according to Maphephu is an indication that such cattle were procured illegally something they always advise businesspeople against. He also complained about complainants who withdrew cases on the basis that they have reached an agreement with the accused, which fuels the crime.
Maphephu added that in some cases herdsman are involved because cattle owners do not frequent their cattleposts.
“There are instances where some farmers in the area do not even know their cattle. This is because they leave everything in the hands of the herdsmen and only come after a long time, which gives the herdsmen plenty of time to plan such criminal activities as selling the stock,” he said.
He also advised that as a way to fight stocktheft farmers should ear-tag their calves as early as three-months-old for easier indetification when stolen. He also raised corncern over butchery owners who slaughter cattle in the bush and sell the meat without inspection.
Meanwhile the police are also investigating two cases of rape. In one, a 43-year-old woman in Meya settlement was beaten and raped by the father of her six children aged 45-years-old.
The police boss said according to the victim, she is no longer in a relationship with the accused who after seeing her in the company of another man, brutally assaulted them by stoning them before dragging her into the bush where he raped her.
In another matter a 25-year-old woman was raped by an unknown man who is still at large while on her way home.