Masisi, Sadique, others drawn into court battle
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Things may turn nastier in the case in which the besieged Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology & Energy Security has been summoned before court by creditors as Cabinet finds itself fighting against itself.
Oleaster (PTY) Ltd Director, Thembile Mhlauli has dragged Kebonang’s ministry before Justice Terrence Rannowane demanding payment in the sum of P9 million for the construction of bulk strategic petroleum oil storage in Tshele Hills in 2016. On March 8, 2018, Justice Rannowane made an order directing the parties to meet to explore amicable settlement of the matter.
“The Attorney General shall facilitate the attendance of all relevant personnel in order to have comprehensive settlement talks, especially the Minister Advocate Sadique Kebonang, the Permanent Secretary Dr. Obakeng, the Senior Private Secretary to the President Brigadier General Tlhalerwa, a senior representative of the Attorney General’s as well as the applicant’s representative,” ruled Rannowane and further stated that in the event negotiations collapse, the matter should be brought back before him.
In the latest events of the matter, this week Oleaster Company wrote to the Attorney General threatening to take the matter back to the high court as they were not interested in holding the meeting. “We note for your attention that the purpose of the said meeting was to assist the court in attaining a proper appreciation of the difficulty faced by the court especially paying attention to the averments made against and in relation to those therein mentioned high ranking officials who do not wish to be perceived as acting against government,” stated attorney David Moloise on behalf Oleaster.
“We do further reiterate that should this matter be taken to trial we shall subpoena those parties mentioned in the order together with all the pertinent Parliamentary Hansard as well as those other prominent members of the Cabinet who were present at the said deliberations, of which His Honour the Vice President was the chair, according to the minister’s advise before the Office of the President. We hold instructions to revert back to the high court with an urgent contempt application.”
The background of the matter is that in April 2016, Oleaster entered into a sub-contract with a company known as BOWMAG Construction which was the main contractor. Oleaster relied on clause 6.6 of the said Sub-contract that it shall have the right to be paid directly by the employer. The sub-contractor commenced the work in full knowledge that the employer would make payment.
It is the sub-contractor’s averments that they used their own finances to push the project knowing that the government is usually slow in making payment and that payment would be made at any time. It is said that during November 2016, termination of the main contractor took place where immediately the sub-contractor began the process of seeking direct payment from the employer in terms of clause 4.4 (d) as read with 6.6 of the sub-contract. The court also heard that the sub-contractor was never paid but instead received excuse after excuse.
Minister Kebonang was subsequently approached whereupon he advised that it was in the interest of all parties that the matter be resolved as amicably as possible and with a view to avoiding legal action. Negotiations began whereupon senior government officials were involved from different ministries to the Office of the President. It is said that Kebonang had stated that it was in the interest of completing the project that the sub-contractor be paid and the ministry proceed to appoint a new contractor to complete what was remaining at site. Vice-President Masisi also took the matter before the cabinet where it was agreed that the sub-contractor be paid for the work already done. However, the sub-contractor was never paid.
On March 7, 2018, Kebonang’s ministry wrote to the Director of Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services, Isaac Kgosi asking him to furnish them with a date as to when he will pay back the National Petroleum Fund (NPF) loot to help them (ministry) settle creditors.
In the savingram, Kebonang’s ministry wrote, “We refer to communication between us and Director General, Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) relating to the question of refunding the NPF by DIS.
The ministry is under tremendous pressure to settle several creditors, some of whom have gone to court in relation to Tshele Construction. The Attorney General has since advised that there is a court order that requires the parties to meet and report to the court on or before Thursday 8 March, 2018.” “We will be grateful as to when the repayment by DIS would be credited to NPF. This will help us communicate definitive position with our creditors,” the Savingram further read.
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DPP drops Kably threat to kill case
The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Letlhakeng/Lephephe Liakat Kably has welcomed the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP)’s decision not to prosecute BDP councillor, Meshack Tshenyego who allegedly threatened to kill him. However, the legislator has warned that should anything happen to his life, the state and the courts will have to account.
In an interview with this publication, Kablay said he has heard that the DPP has declined to prosecute Tshenyego in a case in which he threatened to kill him adding that the reasons he received are that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. “I am fine and at peace with the decision not to prosecute over evidential deficits but I must warn that should anything happen to my life both the DPP and the Magistrate will have to account,” Kablay said.
Connectedly, Kably said he has made peace with Tshenyego, “we have made peace and he even called me where upon we agreed to work for the party and bury the hatchet”.
The DPP reportedly entered into a Nolle Prosequi in the matter, meaning that no action would be taken against the former Letlhakeng Sub-district council chairperson and currently councillor for Matshwabisi.
According to the charge sheet before the Court, councilor Tshenyego on July 8th, 2022 allegedly threatened MP Kably by indirectly uttering the following words to nominatedcouncilor Anderson Molebogi Mathibe, “Mosadi wa ga Liakat le ban aba gagwe ba tsile go lela, Mosadi wame le banake le bone ba tsile go lela. E tla re re mo meeting, ka re tsena meeting mmogo, ke tla mo tlolela a bo ke mmolaya.”
Loosely translated this means, Liakat’s wife and children are going to shed tears and my wife and kids will shed tears too. I will jump on him and kill him during a meeting.
Mathibe is said to have recorded the meeting and forwarded it to Kably who reported the matter to the police.
In a notice to the Magistrate Court to have the case against Tshenyego, acting director of Public Prosecutions, Wesson Manchwe cited the nolle prosequi by the director of public prosecution in terms of section 51 A (30) of the Constitution and section 10 of the criminal procedure and evidence act (CAP 08:02) laws of Botswana as reasons for dropping the charges.
A nolle prosequi is a formal notice of abandonment by a plaintiff or prosecutor of all or part of a suit or action.
“In pursuance of my powers under section 51 A (300 of the Constitution and section 10 of the criminal procedure and evidence act (CAP 08:02) laws of Botswana, I do hereby stop and discontinue criminal proceedings against the accused Meshack Tshenyego in the Kweneng Administrative District, CR.No.1077/07/2022 being the case of the State vs Tshenyego,” said Manchwe. The acting director had drafted the notice dropping the charges on 13th day of March 2023.
The case then resumed before the Molepolole Magistrate Solomon Setshedi on the 14th of March 2023. The Magistrate issued an order directing “that matters be withdrawn with prejudice to the State, accused is acquitted and discharged.”
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DPP seizes prosecution duties from Police
Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) has finally taken over prosecution from the Botswana Police Service (BPS). The police have been prosecuting for years, but the takeover means that they will now only focus on investigations and then hand over to the DPP for prosecution.
Talks of complete takeover began as far back as 2008, but for years it seemed implementation was sluggish. However, the Minister of Justice, Machana Shamukuni, revealed that the complete takeover is expected to be completed soon.
During a presentation to the Committee of Supply by Shamukuni this week, it was revealed that the project has been implemented in 22 police stations nationwide, including Maun, Selebi-Phikwe, Palapye, Francistown, and Kasane. He further stated that the project has been allocated P3,000,000 for the 2023/2024 financial year to facilitate the opening of more satellite offices for the DPP.
Shamukuni said the Lobatse station is scheduled for a complete takeover by the end of May 2023, while the Kasane DPP satellite office has been established and became operational as of February 1, 2023.
“As reported previously, preparations are at an advanced stage to open a satellite office in Tsabong to curtail expenses, as well as frequent long-distance trips to these areas, as it is currently serviced by the Lobatse DPP office,” Shamukuni said.
Shamukuni said that the takeover strategy is to enable a seamless and gradual takeover of prosecution from the BPS without overwhelming and overstretching the thin resources at its disposal.
According to Shamukuni, the implementation of the prosecution takeover project has increased the workload of the 211 prosecutors in the DPP establishment.
Furthermore, the Justice Minister said DPP statistics show that the DPP has a total of 11,903 cases and dockets as of January 2023. He indicated that this is a significant increase in the number of cases being handled by the DPP, considering that in November 2021, the DPP had just over 8,471 files.
“Out of the total case load, 8 382 are cases pending before various courts while 3521 are dockets received from law enforcement agencies of which 1 325 are awaiting service of summons while the rest are being assessed for suitability of prosecution or otherwise” said Shamukuni.
He further stated that The DPP has consistently maintained an 80% success rate in matters completed at court.
“As at the end of January 2023, the success rate stood at 82.3% against a target of 90% whilst the average performance in respect of turnaround time for conclusion of cases at court stood at 17.5 months against a target of 18 months,” he said.
BACKLOG OF CASES – LAND TRIBUNAL
Meanwhile, Minister Shamukuni has revealed that Gaborone land Tribunal is experiencing a backlog of cases. Before parliament this week, Shamukuni revealed that a total 230 appeals were completed for the period of April 2022- December 2022 and only 76.5% of them were completed within set time frame.
The minister said that the Gaborone division has experiencing a backlog of cases due to manpower constraints and he further indicated that presiding officers from other divisions have been brought in to expedite case disposal.
He further indicated that the land tribunal is a specialized court that has been empowered to resolve appeals arising from land boards. “It has been mandated to determine appeals from the decisions of Physical planning committees of Districts Councils” said Shamukuni.
Land Tribunal relocated to the Ministry of Justice from Ministry of Land and Water Affairs in November 2022.
“An amount of P37, 842,670 is requested to cover salaries, allowance and other operational expenses for the Department of the land Tribunal,” alluded Shamukuni
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BCP, AP stalemate in 7 constituencies
When the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), Alliance for Progressives, Botswana Labour Party (BLP), and conveners reconvene next week, the controversial issue of allocation of the seven constituencies will be the main topic of discussion, WeekendPost can reveal.
Not only that, but the additional four constituencies will also dominate the talks. The idea is to finally close the “constituency allocation phase,” which has proven to be the most difficult part of the ongoing negotiations.
Earlier this year, the two parties announced that the marathon talks would be concluded by February. Even at a media briefing last month, BCP Secretary General Goretetse Kekgonegile and Publicity Secretary Dr. Mpho Pheko were optimistic that the negotiations would be concluded before the end of February.
However, it is now mid-March and the talks have yet to be concluded. What could be the reasons for the delay? This is a question that both Kekgonegile and Pheko have not responded to, as they have ignored the reporters’ inquiries. However, a senior figure within the party has confided to this publication as to what is delaying the highly anticipated negotiations.
“We are reconvening next week to finalize constituency allocations, taking into account the additional four new ones plus the outstanding seven,” he explained. It later surfaced that Gaborone Central, Gaborone North, Mogoditshane, Tswapong North, Francistown West, Tati West, and Nata Gweta are all contested by both BCP and AP. This is because the other 50 constituencies were allocated by December of last year.
The three parties have failed to find common ground for the Bosele Ward by-elections. Are these constituencies not a deal breaker for the talks? “None of the constituencies is a deal breaker,” responded a very calm BCP official.
In Bosele Ward, AP has yielded to BCP, despite most of its members disapproving the decision. On the other hand, BLP has refused, and it will face off with BCP together with Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).
The decision by BLP to face off with BCP has been labelled as a false start for the talks by political observers.