Francistown tycoons in court over land scandal

The criminal case centres around suspected corrupt sale of state land in Francistown and surrounding areas, Kasane and Tatisiding. The estimated value of land that has purportedly been illegally transacted amounts to about P2, 449,800.

The suspects are principal state counsel, Moloko Mokgokong; assistant revenue collector at the department of lands in Francistown Reuben Tshule;  principal technical lands officer in Francistown; and 30 people who are mainly respected tycoons. The civil servants face about 87 counts, among them corruption, falsification of records and obtaining by false pretences. The tycoons and their businesses mainly face a common charge of corrupting a public officer.