Maun acting police station commander, assistant superintendent Kgakgamatso Koboyatshwene has shed light on the escalating number of criminal cases in the region, prompting urgent action from law enforcement. According to Koboyatshwene, there has been a notable increase in criminal cases, with 84 reported already this year compared to 73 in 2023.
Providing a breakdown of the statistics, Koboyatshwene highlighted various offenses, including rape, burglary, theft, and common assault, with particular concern being the surge in burglaries, which spiked from zero in 2023 to four incidents this year. Additionally, house break-ins rose from one case last year to two this year.
Although common assault saw a marginal increase from 14 to 15 cases, common theft showed a significant decline from 28 incidents last year to just 18 so far this year.
One distressing case brought to light by Koboyatshwene occurred in Moeti, where a 17-year-old girl was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted by three men.
Allegedly the 17-year-old girl was reportedly waiting at a taxi stop in Moeti around 1945hrs while en route to visit her mother in Boseja. According to the report shared by Koboyatshwene, three men found her on the road threatened her with a knife, forcefully abducted her, and took her to an unfinished house where they took turns to rape her.
Koboyatshwene revealed that the police are actively pursuing the perpetrators but have not made any arrests to date. He urged the public to come forward with any information that could aid in apprehending the culprits.
In another incident, a 29-year-old resident of Mopako ward reported a burglary after returning home from early morning festivities.
The victim allegedly left his home in the early hours of 0300hrs but returned at 0520 hrs only to discover that his back kitchen door had been broken and his belongings totaling P13,300 missing.
Despite ongoing investigations, Koboyatshwene revealed that they have yet to identify any suspects. The Assistant Superintendent appealed to the community to assist in providing any relevant information to assist in apprehending the perpetrators.
Koboyatshwene emphasised the need for collective efforts to combat crime and ensure the safety and security of all residents. He appealed to the support of the public, and stressed that the police were determined to bring those responsible to justice and prevent further incidents.
