Motlhalefi Leiso, the BDP deputy chairman for Leseding ward in Selebi-Phikwe West, told Mmegi that they were shocked to learn that the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) parliamentary hopeful in the constituency, Gilson Saleshando, had the register at a rally last Sunday.
Saleshando is said to have read the register at the rally. Stolen with the register was a video cassette recorder and a bag containing BDP party materials; registers, membership cards and other items.
“Since Saleshando was in possession of the said register last Sunday, he should be in a position to explain how he came to possess it,” said Leiso.
He added that the party has been searching for the register, which was last seen in August. “This register is a valuable document because we used it to check our strength as a party during our door-to-door campaigns. Its disappearance affected us in the ward in terms of membership drive,” he said.
He revealed that he has reported the matter to the police. “They told us that they were still investigating the matter with a view to establishing the truth,” he told Mmegi.
Contacted for comment, Saleshando said the BDP is trying to build a case out of nothing. “Batho ba, ba leka go bopa kgomo ya mmopa (These people are trying to build a case out of nothing),” he said.
He said that he was aware that the house of a BDP member was broken into last August. He said the BDP register was given to the BCP after it was picked near the Selebi-Phikwe Town Council abattoir as a lost and found property. “The register is written house-to-house, Leseding ward,” he stated.
He said the BCP council candidate in Leseding ward, Gaone Chamme and other party members went through the register and found that it contained mostly names of BDP members and a few BCP operatives.
Saleshando stated that they made an announcement through the public address system last Sunday calling for the BDP to come and collect their register. But the BDP did not respond.
“BDP members later sat down and plotted to lie that one of the things stolen last August included the party register, which was never mentioned at any stage. Interestingly, in a statement before the police, the register is not even listed among the items said to have been stolen during the break-in,” said Saleshando.
He indicated that it was interesting to note that instead of collecting the register, BDP members chose to go to the police to make fabrications. He dared the BDP to put it in writing that he broke into Leiso’s house and stole the register and he will “fix them”. Saleshando handed the register to the police on Wednesday because BDP members were reluctant to collect it.
Selebi-Phikwe police station commander Superintendent Isaiah Makala said that some BDP officials came to his office last Sunday to lodge a complaint that Saleshando was found in possession of a party register that was reported missing in August as part of stolen goods.
“We are investigating allegations as raised by the BDP,” said Makala. “Initially, we received a report of house-breaking and theft. If such a register as alleged is indeed a BDP register and was part of the items reported as stolen, then we will have reasons to question Saleshando on how he came to possess such a register,” he said.
