Botswana police officer released on bail allegedly trying to bribe SARS official

Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s)

A case against Botswana police officer has been postponed to February 7th 2025 pending further investigations. The 42 years old Mompoloki Okocha Boitshoko was released on R 20 000 bail following his arrest in Kate November 2024.

Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula said that officials from the SARS’ Syndicated Tax and Customs Crime Division received information on 15 November 2024 that a truck will be entering the Skilpadshek border post from Namibia with illicit cigarettes.

As the truck arrived at the border post, and the driver indicated to the officials that he had no cargo to declare. However, 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.

Following the confiscation and apprehension of the driver, a SARS official allegedly received a call from a person unknown to the official offering R 100 000.00 for the truck to be released. An entrapment was setup for the money to be paid and the accused was immediately arrested after allegedly handing over R 104 400.00 to the SARS official.

He made several court appearances before Mmabatho Magistrates Court before being released on bail and having his matter postponed to February 2025.