DCEC raids BPC over smart metre procurement
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday December 20, 2022 06:00
Investigators from DCEC spent a whole week at BPC offices in Gaborone West Industrial Warehouse sniffing for information regarding a tender for the supply and delivery of programmable electronic energy and demand metres, The Monitor has learnt.
According to sources, the graft busters are on the trail of hundreds of millions of pula that were used to purchase faulty smart metres.
It is alleged that thousands of metres were purchased without the relevant software. “Right now there are dozens of those faulty metres at their warehouses but they are yet again purchasing the same products with the same specifications, that is why the DCEC had to intervene,” a source said.
Though details are still sketchy, this publication has been reliably informed that some in top management are implicated in the alleged graft and have been questioned. BPC Marketing Communications Manager, Dineo Seleke would not be dragged into discussing the matter.
She referred this publication to the DCEC. “We kindly wish that you route enquiry through the DCEC regarding their operation,” Seleke wrote in a brief email response.
The Monitor had enquired from the corporation if the raid was related to the allegations leveled against them. The Monitor sought to establish from Seleke if there were any employees or those from senior management that the corporation has taken action against. Though cagey, DCEC Public Relations Officer Lentswe Motshoganetsi confirmed the Directorate is probing the power utility. “DCEC is investigating BPC on issues bordering on procurement. However, I am prohibited by the Corruption and Economic Crime Act to divulge further details pertaining to the investigation,” he said.