Boko, BURS in aircraft stalemate

Boko's wings have been clipped PIC: KEOAGILE BONANG
Boko's wings have been clipped PIC: KEOAGILE BONANG

FRANCISTOWN: Pilots and legal representatives of a South African firm that recently leased two aircraft to the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) are reportedly saying that they did not break the law.

According to inside sources, the pilots argue that they did not breach any customs nor immigration regulations that might have led the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) to ground the two planes.

BURS seized the two aircraft, an Agusta 119 and a Beech 190 Wednesday that belong to Waleed Helicopter Services on suspicion that the pilots failed to comply with customs procedures. The UDC hired the chopper and the jet for use in preparation for 2019 general election campaign. To support their claim of not breaking the law, a source asserted: “The pilots maintain that they declared concerning the aircraft, its itinerary, the goods on board, any passenger and crew on board including the destination as specified by law. From the preliminary information we have gathered, it appears as if one pilot declared through a written communication while the other made a verbal declaration.”

Editor's Comment
Let’s fight GBV as a collective

Botswana for the longest time was known for her virulent peace with family being an enviable institution.As the media, we are also scared to be incessantly reporting on these bloody scenes where women are brutally murdered and worse, sometimes in front of their children and loved ones. Yes, we have reported cases where men were also brutally murdered by their loved ones, but such cases are a drop in the ocean.For the past two weeks, Botswana was...

Have a Story? Send Us a tip
arrow up