Explosive gov't tender testimony reveals Chinese influence
Sharon Mathala | Monday September 25, 2023 06:00
Trial dates in the President's family battles over a P500 million government tender have been set for November 2023. The matter was before court this week where four days were set aside, being November 21-24, 2023.
The matter is between President Masisi’s nephew Olebile Pilane and the First Citizen's sister, Boitumelo Phadi Mmutle (nee Masisi), a Chinese businessman Huashi Li and their business associates.
In his court papers, Pilane takes the court down memory lane on how the presidency is allegedly conflicted and how the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) meddles in government tenders and lastly how the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) benefits from government tenders.
Nephew highlights Chinese investor's alleged involvement
In his testimony, Pilane details that he met a Chinese businessman Li through business. He says Li insisted on being introduced to some relatives of the State President in order to do business with them.
Pilane further alleged that he then introduced Li to his aunt and close confidant at the time, Mmutle.
“The witness (Pilane) will testify that the fourth defendant (Li) and Mmutle then started doing business together and Li donated some solar lights to Mmutle’s new business at Park 27 in Gaborone,” his testimony would read.
Pilane further told the court that in his continued efforts to gain favour from the President's family members and eventually the President himself, the Chinese businessman paid Mmutle’s rent which is close to P100,000 for her house at the Golf Estate. He says the money was credited into his account and he only paid P85,000 to his aunt and kept the rest. He further says the Chinese told him that the President’s sister was "valuable" to him for business dealings because of her "close connections" to the President.
Pilane went on to to say that in the Chinese investor’s efforts to influence people politically connected, he also shared with him a cheque ,which he had previously donated to the President’s political party, the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). “From a copy of the said cheque, It is clear that the said payment was received on behalf of the BDP by its treasurer Satar Dada, which is what Li also confirmed to me,” further reads his testimony.
Pilane also says the Chinese businessman further told him that when he (the Chinese businessman) met with Dada, the latter showed him a list of the tenders he bade for. Pilane said it was agreed then that if Li wins, he would allegedly buy cars for the projects from Dada’s business, Motor Centre. Pilane further says following his refusal to give the BDP money, he was elbowed out of their shared company by his aunt. He says at the said meeting, two of the President’s sisters were present.
He further alleges that they threatened him that should he not resign, they would send the DIS DG after him. He further states that fearing for his life, he reluctantly signed to resign from his company.
Additionally, he alleges that true to his fears, after the meeting, he received a call from the Director General of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) Peter Magosi requesting to meet with him. Pilane alleges that they met at Mochudi Police Station where Magosi on instruction from Mmutle, wanted him to hand over the cheque which allegedly implicated Dada and the BDP.
He says he gave them a copy and kept copies for himself. “It was at this meeting that Magosi mentioned that the first defendant (G&M Building Services (Pty) LTD) might be awarded Water Utilities Corporation tender for Goodhope 2.2 Contract 2,” In the case, Pilane further says he wants a claim of 40% shareholding from their company in view of the business it is engaged in, the government tender.
Meanwhile, the Chinese investor has denied all claims against him. He says he never instructed Pilane to pay five percent of their tender money to the BDP nor has he ever attempted to capture the presidency.
Li also says he never offered any shares to Pilane on their business, as he alleges. “The witness (Li) never threatened the plaintiff (Pilane) with harassment by the State security agents and never instructed him to attend a meeting at Phakalane, where he tendered his resignation,” the Chinese businessman says.
For her part, Mmutle also says Pilane resigned on his own volition and that one Ketshile Ntholo Hlanze was present at the meeting.
She alleges that her nephew further asked them to remove him completely from the records of the company,“ as he did not want this to interfere with his other arrangement.”
Masisi’s sister, Mmutle, further says her nephew is imagining things. Another sister to the President, Tshidi Masisi-Hlanze, also alleged thats her nephew is imagining things.