FRANCISTOWN: A 45-year-old Motswana man, Lesego Siana, has allegedly been arrested at a mall in South Africa for the attempted illegal sale of two pangolins at R200,000 (about P140,000).

However, the Botswana Police Service (BPS) spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Dipheko Motube said they are not aware of any Motswana who was arrested in the neighbouring country.

“The police in South Africa would have informed us if we were interested parties. They are not obliged to inform us since we have no interest in the case,” Motube said.

According to South African (SA) media reports, Siana was allegedly arrested alongside SA nationals, Kabelo McDonald Batsi, 36, Tebogo Kodwa, 28, and Zimbabwean national, Deon Clamans Mubhada, 33.

They were reportedly arrested by the Hawks at the Mahikeng Mall trying to sell the pangolins. They have subsequently been charged with contravening SA’s National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act of 10 of 2004.

The quartet already appeared at the Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court last week for verification of their statuses as part of preparing for their bail application. Investigations

are still underway to establish more facts on the matter.

Pangolins are in high demand in countries like Vietnam and China where their scales are allegedly used in traditional medicine to cure various ailments. They are also amongst the most trafficked animals in the world.