The Francistown Magistrate Court on Tuesday fined a traditional doctor in Francistown P 1000 for the single charge of unlawful possession of a python skin.
Keekae Tumediso who operates in the populous area of Block 2, was nabbed sometime in July last year by a law enforcement taskforce, following a tip off. Acting on the tip off, the police visited the traditional doctor at his residence and questioned about the alleged python skin that he was alleged to have in his possession.
The traditional doctor is said to have responded in the affirmative, indicating that he had it in his shrine where he conducted his consultations. It was then that members of the task force went into the consultation room and seized the 210-centimetre-long skin amongst his herbs and other traditional medicines.
One obvious assumption is that the traditional doctor could have been snitched on by one of his many clients who frequent his shrine for assistance.
Tumediso who did not deny the skin was his, pleaded not guilty for possessing the dead snake skin. The traditional healer, told Principal Magistrate Magetse, he did not know it was a crime for one to possess the skin of a snake.
“Ke le sedile. Ne ke sa itse gore go sela ke molato,” explained the traditional healer, who has never had any brush with the law.
“I found the skin along Shashe river. As traditional doctors we use the skin to protect and strengthen ourselves.”
Mitigating for a lenient sentence, Tumediso pleaded with Magistrate Magetse not to send him to jail, as this will cripple his business.
“I humbly ask you your worship to be lenient, I have a lot of clients, and me being sent to jail means they will suffer. On a daily basis I help between 20 to 30 patients. Being a traditional doctor is my source of livelihood. This is how I feed and take care of my elderly mother and my five month old twins,” lamented Tumediso.
Concerned with the prevalence of cases where traditional doctors are found in possession of government trophies without necessary permits, Magistrate Magetse advised Tumediso and his fellow practitioners to approach government or relevant authorities to seek permission.
“Since you say you use these trophies and others for healing and protecting yourselves, I suggest you engage the department of wildlife or other authorities to seek permits to possess these items. So, you avoid being on the wrong side of the law.”
