A former Botswana Congress Party (BCP) councillor for Nata West ward is languishing at Gerald prison after he was arrested and charged for unlawful possession of elephant tusks.
Stephen Keiphile, 59, of Manakanagore ward in the central administrative district was further remanded in custody this week after spending two weeks in jail following his arraignment on January 12.
Keiphile was arraigned in the Francistown magistrates’ court alongside Boga Maunge,57, Galaletsang Keile, 25, all from Maaloso ward and Gaokgathege Manyaaga,49, of Kachikao ward.
Other two suspected ivory dealers are 36-year-old Mthokozisi Sibanda, a Zimbabwean refugee based at the Dukwi Refugee Camp, and Baitlhoki Goba ,39, of Saxa cattlepost near Manxotae village in the central administrative district.
According to court papers, on or about January 10 2016 at or near Sepako junction along Nata/Kazungula road in the central administrative in the central administrative district, the sextet was unlawfully found in possession of two elephant tusks.
During their second court appearance before Francistown chief magistrate Gaedupe Makgato, the prosecution requested for further incarceration of Keiphile since he is suspected to be the ring leader in this alleged illicit trade in elephant tusks.
Thulaganyo Pitso, prosecuting the matter, successfully convinced the court to grant the other five suspects a conditional bail and to remand the suspected mastermind of the illegal trading in government trophy.
Pitso told the court that Keiphile had cash amounting to over P24 000 upon his arrest and failed to give a satisfactory answer of where he had gotten the money from.
In defence Keiphile dismissed the prosecution’s allegations as baseless.
He told court that the money found in his possession were proceeds from the selling of his vehicles to a Zambian national who was not named in court.
He said the Zambian buyer sent the money through Western Union money transfer.
However, Makgato remanded him in custody as investigations into the matter continue.
http://www.thevoicebw.com/2016/01/29/ex-bcp-cllr-arrested-over-elephant-tusks/