- Question why G4S does not inform the police before transporting money
- G4S says the police are under-resourced
- Observers wonder why G4S in particular
LETLHOGILE MPUANG
The Botswana Police Service (BPS) and G4S are at variance over a recent spate of heists targeting the security company, The Botswana Gazette has established.
BPS is reportedly concerned why the security company routinely transports large amounts of money without alerting the police for possible escort, why G4S is particularly targeted and by whom.
In the midst of this, impeccable sources say law enforcement agencies recently told the Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Kagiso Mmusi, that they are eventually making breakthroughs in what looks like a phenomenon.
The joint investigations are being carried out by BPS, the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Service (DISS) and the Crime Intelligence Bureau (CRIB)“The investigations have so far revealed that G4S have been transporting large amounts of money without informing the police and with no police escort,” said a source close the investigations. “It is standard procedure that every time a cash-in-transit vehicle makes such deliveries,
the police are informed.”
Another source observed: “A critical question that has also emerged during the investigations is why these criminals seem to be particularly targeting G4S cash-in-transit vehicles? What do they know that we do not know?”
It is understood that Minister Mmusi’s attention has also been drawn to the sophisticated nature of the crimes. “It is highly possible that these crimes are executed by security company workers alongside criminals from South Africa,” said a source. “Some of the
suspects are reported to be on the run in South Africa.”
A G4S employee allegedly linked to a heist that took place at Block 6 in Gaborone on 6 August 2021 is said to be in police custody. A G4S transit vehicle carrying close to P9 million was robbed in the incident. But Assistant Commissioner Nnunu Lesetedi was taciturn regarding this matter. “I cannot deny or confirm if we have a G4S employee in custody,” Lesetedi said.
However, Minister Mmusi has confirmed meeting heads of law enforcement agencies and that they are making progress in investigations into the heists. “This is a serious issue of national concern,” the minister said.
“I am very concerned about these heists but we believe that our security agencies are making progress. Remember that these are organised crimes and they take a lot of time to investigate and get to the bottom of.”
G4S RESPONSE
Upon being contacted, the Managing Director of G4S, Mothusi Molokomme, did not deny the absence of police escorts in the company’s cash deliveries but blamed this on limited police resources that he said leaves them little choice but to carry on without the police.
“I cannot be specific about whether on those particular days the police were informed about deliveries but it is procedure,” Molokomme said. “The challenge we face is that even when we do inform the police, they are mostly unavailable to assist due to their limited resources.”
He confirmed that some of their employees have been questioned by the police about the spate of heists but said he had no information regarding any of them being in police custody.