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Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
A JOINT anti-stock theft operation by local police and their Batswana counterparts has resulted in the recovery, in Plumtree and Tsholotsho, of 10 donkeys stolen from the neighbouring country .
The operation, which saw two people being arrested, started last Friday with police officers from Botswana joining forces with those from Maitengwe in Plumtree and Tsholotsho.
Chief Superintendent Johannes Govo, the Officer Commanding Police in Lupane District, said they suspect that there is a syndicate operating from Zimbabwe and Botswana.
“The joint police team embarked on the search operation, first in Plumtree area where they first discovered four donkeys with Botswana branding and tags.
“We found 10 Botswana donkeys in Plumtree and Tsholotsho. They had clear Botswana identification tags. Of late, we have received a lot of stock theft cases, where stock is driven from one end to the other. We urge the public to brand or tag their livestock to make identification easier in case of theft or when the animals strayed,” he said.
Chief Supt Govo warned members of the public that driving livestock across borders without permits was a serious offence.
“So far, Botswana cannot say the total number of livestock they are looking for as reports are still coming in from villagers. It is the same with our own villagers in Tsholotsho and Plumtree. This is why we are suspecting there is a syndicate in this trade and we hope to unveil the culprits during the operation,” said Chief Supt Govo.
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