Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) and their principals, the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC), have shown reluctance in instigating an investigation on some athletics officials who were accused of office abuse last year.

Disciplinary hearings, internal and forensic audits by either BAA and BNSC are yet to be done, four months on, WeekendSport has established. Last year September when it surfaced that there were financial irregularities that had to be answered for, a BAA administration officer, Holiday Matibini and some officials were fingered for the feud. Tempers had flared up and the BAA leadership had threatened that heads would roll. Matibini has since been suspended, three other officials were implicated.

Curiously, according to sources, the case has been swept under the carpet without the disciplinary hearings that were slated for last year being carried out. This has raised eyebrows and some within BAA are beginning to ask questions as to why the leadership has developed cold feet and swept the matter under the rug.

“The matter is still under investigation, the police are handling it,” some athletics officials have commented.  Sources however say the dilly-dallying by BAA influential minds is a cosmetic approach on the matter to let it die slowly as they are protecting their ‘honey pot’.
Speaking in an interview with Weekendsport, the maverick Matibini said he is eagerly awaiting the disciplinary hearing and further confirmed what sources have stated that, “it will open a can of worms”.

“I’m yet to be called for the disciplinary meeting and I’m eagerly waiting so that I can spill the beans on the corruption that is besieging athletics. What I know is the case is still with the CID/police,” he said before adding that he was only served with a suspension letter but he wrote back enquiring as to why he was being suspended, but he never got a reply.

This publication has further gathered that, the chairperson of the said disciplinary committee threw in the towel on the matter at the eleventh hour under unclear circumstances. Matibini on the other hand, it is argued, was used as a pawn in a deadly chess game. Claims are that, all charges laid against him are unfounded and that fate is bound to save him. Matibini has also dismissed all the charges against him which include promising a certain catering company and guest house businesses with BAA upon the arrival of the Olympic team, saying he did what his superiors instructed.

“There is no how I can forge a signature, that’s why I am saying I want the disciplinary hearing and investigations so it exposes the person who did that,” Matibini said. “The Government Purchasing Orders could only be signed by the treasurer, VP and Secretary, so tell me why the poor boy was dismissed, in fact he was supposed to be suspended with others who were in the act,” said one of those close to the developments.

Athletics observers further say, should BAA continue with the matter, it will open a can of worms which is highly likely to leave the association paralysed as some influential minds will face the wrath of the law. “The case is not likely to resurrect because some of the people implicated on the matter are the EXCO members, and should they push it with vigour the whole committee will rot in jail,” said one source within BAA.

Other financial transgressions facing the officials are financial embezzlement and fraud among others. It is believed that more misdemeanours were bound to crop up as investigations unfolded. BAA Secretary General, Kebaitse Legojane said he would not respond to this publication’s enquiries on the matter, “I don’t have any comments regarding everything that happened last year because there are still investigations going on.”

The BNSC in conjunction with the athletics body which were anticipated to carry out forensic and internal audits to establish the extent of the office abuse are also on ice. BAA EXCO are said to have connived in blocking the processes as all those who have dipped their hands into the till will be exposed including leaders who “always get international allowances while they are within the borders.