Grand theft auto in the African bush
Well, perhaps not quite; but those are certainly the charges facing three men in Botswana, the landlocked Republic in Southern Africa that neighbours South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Botswana is of course more famous for its tourist and diamond mining industries rather than automotive theft, but that is precisely the charges against the three accused men Kesetse Gabatlhotshwe, Kagiso Segola and Ernest Tsiane; the charges being taken all the more seriously by the Botswana judiciary because the precise crime is that of stealing the official vehicle of the Minister of Agriculture.
The accused have been languishing in holding facilities for some time since their arrest because of the unavailability of Court Interpreters and under Botswana law…no interpreters means no trial. The need for Court Interpreters in this particular case is all the more important because in a twist to the case; the three accused, who originally pleaded guilty have now retracted their plea and have stated that they were forced into a confession by the arresting officers.
No reports have as yet emerged as to the ethnicity of the accused and which particular interpreters might be required; however, the official languages of The Republic of Botswana are English and Setswana and the main demographic makeup of the country is; Tswana nearly 80% (speaking English or Setswana); Kalanga about 10% (speaking Ikalanga); Basarwa, 3% (speaking various Khoisan languages); and Kgalagadi 3% (speaking various tribal dialects).