POLICE FOIL A SCAM IN KASANE
KASANE: After a serene mid-afternoon boat cruise on the channels of the Chobe River, yours truly’s Kasane experience took an unexpected twist when a scam gone wrong unfolded in front of my very eyes.
Upon return from my Chobe River escapade to Chiloto Lodge – my place of lodging – tucked in the middle of a shanty Kgaphamadi neighbourhood, a conman’s attempt to swindle three men of their P100,000 miscarried when the police caught him midway his antics. The incident occurred in room four adjacent to mine, room five. It was early evening while I was collecting my receipts at the reception when a quartet of plain clothed men stormed into the lodge.
“Where is room four? We want the guests in room four!” one of the men called out to the receptionist in a stern tone. It was a simple guess that they were law enforcement officers.
The receptionist led three of the men to room four located at the back of the facility, and the other one remained with me at the reception.
He confirmed they were the police. When the receptionist returned, I went to witness what was found in room four.
I was allowed in, and inside there were the police trio and four other men. One of the men was already handcuffed, hands in the back. He appeared gentry, well built, neat, wearing black spectacles, a red Polo golf shirt and black fashionable skinny jeans. He could be associated with con artistry just from his appearance.
The other two were dressed casually, in their shorts, simple T-shirts and flops, wearing identical BONU (Botswana Nurses Union Masks) masks.
The last man was wearing a pair of jeans, simple T-shirt, flops and a military coloured mask. He was allegedly the one who had a P100,000 and was about to be swindled.
During a search, the police discovered iodine, grandpa powder sachets, gentian violet antiseptic, ascorbic acid tablets, stacks of sizable cut white papers and black papers (sizes of the P200 note) nicely wrapped in a silver foil.
There were numerous brown bottles of different sizes with solutions, a syringe, a razor blade, and cotton wool to mention a few. The items were unpacked from a small cooler bag, and a stash of the black papers came from a black sporty Puma luggage bag.
There was also a P200 note that was used for demonstration, as the handcuffed suspect explained to the police.
“Some are just water mixed with grandpa and others are water and iodine. Those are just to disguise,” the conman said, when the police asked what the variety of the bottled solutions were.
He also confessed he drove from Francistown to swindle the man who allegedly had the P100,000. He was driving a silver BMW vehicle that was parked at the lodge. The vehicle was also searched. From the vehicle, the law enforcers found two tobacco rolls suspected to be marijuana. The other was burnt halfway. He confessed it was ‘zolo’ (Marijuana in Kasi slang).
“Ke zolo ya me, ga ke goge thata, ene e le trip e telele ke ra gore ke seka ka robala be ke goga half (It is my roll, but I don’t smoke much. I needed a little to cope with the long travel),” he told the officers.
He had registered at the reception as Michael Thomela, a false identity different from the name on his identity card. During the search and conversations with the police, he seemed relaxed. He jokingly told the police the name he registered under was for ‘sensitive business’.
Kasane Police Station commander, James Maabong confirmed the suspect was a 33-yearold man who grew up in Selebi-Phikwe and was currently residing at Mafa Ward in Masunga.
He said the suspect was a habitual conman with a rap sheet of swindling people. The superintendent said the suspect had previously swindled two nurses of Kasane Primary Hospital of P50,000 each.
“It is disturbing that the people targeted are educated. We continue to teach people that no man can increase your wealth. We encourage people to report anyone who approaches them with such dealings,” Maabong said.