Five illegal sand miners arrested

The police operation took in Gabane and its environs - including Ramagapo, Diphiring and Tswoaneng farmlands - along a road made notorious by alleged illegal miners who use it to ferry contraband sand from the river to Gaborone.

The operation, which was led by the Commander of Mogoditshane Police Station Superintendent Nkwebi Chilisa, started at 6.30 pm on Monday when the police mounted a roadblock. Zimbabwean Siyaka Mkwell (30) was the first suspect to be nabbed while his companion escaped by jumping out of the truck before it stopped at the roadblock and scaling the thorn fence of a subsistence farm. "Shoot him," an officer charged as he and his squad gave chase."Re kabo re mo tshosetsa, mathata ke go re tlhobolo e setse ko koloing," another officer responded.