By BAKANG MOKOTO
27 November 2024- Botswana policeman, Mompoloki Okocha Boitshoko (42) briefly appeared in the Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court on 26 November 2024, for alleged corruption. This comes after Boitshoko was arrested by members of the Mahikeng-based Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation and Serious Organised Crime Investigation on 25 November 2024, in Mahikeng.
The Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula said the reports indicate that officials from the SARS’ Syndicated Tax and Customs Crime Division received a tip-off on 15 November 2024, that a truck will be entering the Skilpadshek border post from Namibia with illicit cigarettes.
Mathebula said the truck arrived at the border post, and the driver indicated to the officials that he had no cargo to declare.
“Upon inspection, the officials allegedly found 288 master cases containing Remington Gold blue cigarettes packed inside a trailer. The cigarettes with an estimated value of over R1 million were found to be illicit.
“Consequently, the driver was apprehended for contravention of the Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1964. The truck, cigarettes, and trailers were seized. On 20 November 2024, a SARS official was reportedly contacted by an unknown man, who offered to pay R100 000 for the release of the truck,” he said.
Mathebula further said an entrapment was set, which resulted in the arrest of a Botswana national after he had paid R104 400, 00 to the SARS official. He added that the accused appeared in court and was remanded in custody.
“His matter was postponed to 3 December 2024, for formal bail application,” said Mathebula.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Hawks Head, Brigadier Silas Munzhedzi welcomed the arrest and subsequent court appearance of the accused. Munzhedzi has commended collaboration between DPCI and SARS in ensuring that the accused faces full might of the law.
The Guardian 