Botswana is grappling with an explosive surge in cyber-fraud, a staggering 450 percent increase that underscores a shift in the country’s crime landscape toward digital financial offenses. This surge, recorded between 2024 and mid-2025, has led to over P10 million in losses through scams such as SIM swaps, social engineering, and bank-to-wallet fraud. This uptick in cybercrime starkly contrasts with an 8 percent drop in overall reported criminal incidents, from 159,680 in 2023 to 146,529 in 2024, highlighting a new frontier in criminal activity that challenges traditional policing methods.
The Botswana Police Service (BPS) and the Bank of Botswana (BoB) have responded to this growing threat with a strategic partnership aimed at safeguarding the nation’s financial system. This alliance was highlighted during a recent high-level meeting where Police Commissioner Dinah Marathe and BoB Governor Lesego Moseki reaffirmed their commitment to joint efforts in combating digital fraud and financial crime. Marathe emphasized the importance of protecting the national currency’s integrity and secure cash movement, calling the cooperation essential to defending Botswana’s financial sector from evolving criminal threats.
This content is locked
Login To Unlock The Content!