The Regional Commander for District 13, Senior Assistant Commissioner Freeman Baganetswe, has said the imported vehicles in the country contribute to the incidences of crime.
This is because they are brought in this country in such large numbers the dealers often permit would-be buyers to test drive them even before they have number plates.
“Therefore you will find that police meet some of them in the streets, assuming that they are being tested while in actual fact they are ferrying stolen goods. This is not the case with vehicles bought in other selling points like Motor Center. The vehicles there just stay in the garage until the owners come and purchase them and have them registered. So you can see that some of these vehicles that are brought with the intention to alleviate poverty among Batswana come with vast negativities,” said Baganetswe.
He was addressing a full council meeting at Thamaga/Mogoditshane chamber on Thursday. He said it was, therefore, important that community leaders, like the Councilors, should partner with Police to effectively correct the situation.
He further bemoaned the fact that the society in Botswana accepts the use of some drugs just sold across the counter on the grounds that they boost libido and sexual powers. Some of the users of such concoctions prove not to have reliable relationships. They end up hitting the streets with boosted, untendered organs. Consequently rape cases are on the rise.
He sensitized the Councilors about the problems posed by bushy areas around residential areas where they, as Police, advise people not to go as these are havens for criminals. To this, he said, people, including women who are often raped in such areas, turn a deaf ear. This also called for collaborative effort between the police and politicians like Councillors.
Aided by slides, Baganetswe informed Councilors that rape cases were on the rise in Mogoditshane policing area because of the many beer halls and entertainment centers in the area. He said foreigners experience this rise as both perpetrators and victims.
“From 2011 there has been a rise in rape cases affecting this group. In 2011 there were 1156 reported perpetrators. The number rose to 2198 in 2012. Altogether 559 foreigners fell victim of rape in 2011 and the number rose to 1107 in 2012,” he said.
Still on foreigners, Baganetswe expressed concern on the issue of illegal immigrants. He pointed out the fact that there were those of them who illegally crossed into Botswana with babies. They have to be detained but there are no facilities for babies in the country. This made work difficult for the police as they have to escort such immigrants; while understaffed as they are, their services will be deficient elsewhere.
