I was on my way to look for a job, says Botswana donkey ‘thief’

Lynnia Ndlovu Sunday News Reporter
ONE of the suspects accused of stealing 15 donkeys in neighbouring Botswana has claimed that he was caught in a crossfire as he was on his way to look for a job when villagers attacked him accusing him of being a stock thief. Erick Noko (24) of Tshanyaugwe Village under Chief Marupi told Gwanda magistrate Miss Sheila Nazombe this at the start of his trial last week where he is facing two counts of illegal immigration and stock theft.

The court heard that he was in the company of three accomplices who were not named in court and are still at large when he allegedly committed the offence. Noko pleaded not guilty.

In his defence he said he did not steal the donkeys, instead the animals were grazing on the other side in the bush when he was going to Botswana to look for a piece job.

“I didn’t steal these donkeys but I just passed them while I was heading to Botswana to look for a job. When I was at a village which I was later told it’s called Olphant, I was surprised when I heard villagers who emerged from the bushes accusing me of having stolen donkeys.

“I had not even noticed how many they were and neither had I even crossed the border to Botswana. They then took the axe from my hands and assaulted me until I collapsed, when I gained consciousness I was at a homestead in which they told me belonged to the village head. They had tied my hands and legs with tree bark before assaulting me the whole day,” he said.

However, a Botswana village officer, Perceive Agisang testified that he followed Noko and his friends’ spoor until he caught up with him when he was fighting with Olphant villagers. The trial will continue on Thursday where villagers from Olphant will be called to testify.

Allegations are that on 19 April this year Noko and his three accomplices illegally crossed into Botswana and raided villagers of Gobajango of 15 donkeys. They then drove the donkeys across the border and when they got to Olphant village, some villagers asked the men where they had gotten the animals from.

The conversation resulted in a fight involving stones and an axe. Botswana men followed them using their spoor and caught them during the fight with the villagers. However, three of the suspects fled the scene leaving Noko. He was then overpowered and handed over to the police.