Lerala’s career criminal arrested
Police have apprehended Bincho, the 23-year-old alleged notorious criminal involved in armed robbery, rape, and multiple cases of stock theft, much to the relief of the anxious residents of Lerala village. Bincho, also known as Botlhe Molefe, appeared before the Lerala Customary Court and attracted a crowd keen to witness the detention of the village’s most feared career criminal and repeat offender. His co-accused, Motseotsile Bantathile, 26, from Moletemane village, faced charges of assault and stock theft. The arrests were made by Kgomokhumo operatives on September 19, 2023.
The duo is suspected of stealing seven cows in October last year from Moletemane, which were later found in Lerala. Botswana Police Service’s (BPS) Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner Dipheko Motube shared with The Monitor Bincho’s extensive criminal history. Bincho has since 2017, faced pending charges including robbery, theft of a motor vehicle, forgery, breaking into a bar and theft, stealing from a person, unlawful wounding and two cases of rape.
“Bincho and his company are suspected to operate in Lerala and Moletemane villages and have Elibe, Lotsane, and Bobuakwena lands as their happy hunting ground, specialising in the theft of livestock and slaughtering them for fast cash in businesses such as street vendors and butcheries,” Motube explained. On the same morning, Bincho and another co-accused, Kabelo Mokone (also known as Nector), appeared before the court for a case of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. They were accused of assaulting an individual on December 10 of the previous year at a local bar in Lerala, where the complainant worked as a night security guard.
The trio has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to return to court on October 20, 2023. Public reactions on social media platforms were mixed, with many praising the BPS for their efforts.
Residents expressed relief, hoping that Bincho’s incarceration would provide respite for farmers in the area by curbing livestock theft. Motube acknowledged the challenges in containing rampant stock theft in the region, emphasising its threat to the long-term sustainability of livestock production and farming. He noted that stock thieves often lurk around grazing areas, rustling cattle and selling the meat at lower prices to local butcheries and street vendors popularly known as bo-mmaseapei. Despite the challenges, he assured the public that the police continue to arrest stock theft suspects and confiscate stolen animals, indicating ongoing efforts to combat this pervasive issue quickly becoming a paying job for perpetrators.