Police still pursuing bogus petitioners
Staff Writer | Thursday June 5, 2014 09:07
Police public relations officer Assistant Commissioner Christopher Mbulawa has confirmed that the investigations are ongoing, but was not certain when they will be complete. The police instituted investigations early this year after the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) reported the matter citing suspicion of criminal conduct by chief petitioner, Zazambi Tuelo and other Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) activists.
“You will have to understand that the investigations include going through all the names and signatures of the people who are said to have signed the petition to ascertain if their particulars were forged or not.
“This is one of the major factors that has delayed the investigations. For this reason, I cannot put a specific date as to when the investigations will be completed. To build a strong case, we have to investigate thoroughly,” said Mbulawa. He said various experts within the police, among them handwriting specialists, have been engaged to carry out the investigations.
He said that should the investigations suggest that the petition was indeed bogus, those implicated will be charged. He, however, could not disclose the exact charge that those implicated may face.
Early this year the Francistown Central Police said those found to have forged signatures may be charged with forgery with intent to defraud and or deceive.
Last November Tuelo representing over 1,000 BDP followers who claimed to be Francistown West voters presented the said petition to the then acting President Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe. The petition resulted in the postponement of the by-elections by Kedikilwe, from the initial date of November 23, 2013 to January 25 this year.
The petitioners wanted the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to allow former councillor for Monarch South Ignatius Moswaane to contest the parliamentary by-election even though he had been barred by a court order from contesting.
It later emerged that the petition was bogus as it involved allegedly forged signatures exposed by both independent investigators in the media and opposition parties.
There was a lot of brouhaha after it was also discovered that even names of dead people and their purported signatures were in the petition. The elections were held in January this year and won by Dr Habaudi Hobona of the BCP. Moswaane was still not allowed to stand.
In a letter addressed to the Commissioner of Police, the BCP said that following their perusal of the petition they came to the conclusion that it was forged.
The BCP backed its letter calling for an investigation of the petition with a sworn affidavit of one Thabo Nyambe who is a council candidate for the party in Kanana ward in Francistown and one Noah Mmusi.
The duo’s names appeared on the petition though they maintained that they were not aware of it. A forensic consultant’s report on the alleged bogus petition also formed part of the letter. Last year in December Parliament resolved that the petition be investigated following a motion tabled by Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) Francistown South legislator, Wynter Mmolotsi.