TEFO PHEAGE
Roy Sesana’s son, Tshoganetso Sesana and two of his tribesmen have applied to the Gantsi Magistrate court demanding that the state give them proceeds from selling their dried meat which was confiscated and auctioned on suspicion that it was game meat.
This is after the Gantsi Magistrate Court discharged and acquitted the trio following a charge for hunting in a protected area, for which they were arrested in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) in 2016.
The trio argues that since the state failed to prove its case, leading to the dismissal of the matter by the court, they should be reimbursed for their meat.
In the beginning of the case, the accused had advised the state to save proceeds of the auctioned meat into an interest-bearing account and not government coffers as the money could later be claimed with interest once the case is won. It is yet to be determined whether the state acceded to the request pending a counter suit.
The state’s case hit a snag following the mysterious death of its investigating officer who was found hanging on a tree along the Gantsi-Gaborone road, a few metres away from the New Xade turn-off. Assistant Superintendent Kenneth Chipisane of Gantsi Police , months ago, confirmed the death of the investigator and explained that the officer worked for the Department of Wildlife as a biologist in Gantsi. “His car was found a few metres away from his body,” he said at the time.
With the death of the investigating officer, the state grappled with issues concerning evidence and this gave defendants ample time and an opportunity to counter on several occasions.
The trio previously called on Magistrate Babedi Mothuba to recuse herself as she could be brought in as a witness in the case after she, as a judicial officer, signed forms deposing the meat as perishable exhibit.
The trio was of the view that the dried meat was not perishable.