Two men, Herculana Andriano and Charles Watmon, who are all refugees at the Dukwi Refugee Camp in the Central Administrative District, on Monday appeared before Francistown Chief Magistrate Mokwadi Gabanagae to answer charges of unlawful possession of two elephant tusks.
It is alleged that the accused were found in possession of the tusks after the Police Diamond and Narcotics Squad was informed by the public that the two were involved in shady deals of elephant tusks.
The charge sheet reveals that the men were arrested on the 6th of May 2010 in Dukwi Village and two elephant tusks weighing 6.6 kg and valued at P7 234.70 were allegedly found on them.
Giving evidence in court, the Police Detective in the matter said that upon hearing the tip from his sources, he together with other officers from Francistown devised a plan to arrest the accused men.
“We found the second accused, Watmon, in Dukwi in his vehicle and we discovered a bag that contained two elephant tusks,” he told court.
 The detective went further and said that the accused then dismissed the ownership of the elephant tusks saying that they belong to a friend, Andriano, who was by then at the refugee camp.  
He said that the accused then led them ┬áto Andriano’s home and when they arrived at his place he also denied the ownership of the tusks and only admitted that he picked the tusks in his garden and gave the tusks to the second accused.
However, after the state closed its case, the Magistrate ruled that both men have a case to answer.
The case is scheduled to continue today (Wednesday) and the accused men will both give sworn evidence.
The prosecutor in the matter is David Pitlagano from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, while the accused men are not represented.
