Probe into BDP bogus petition drags on

Chakalisa Dube | Wednesday September 10, 2014 14:51

 

Two months ago the police told Mmegi that investigations were continuing and no one has been charged in connection with the bogus petition.  This week the police repeated the same stance.

Asked why the investigations have taken too long to complete spokesperson Assistant Police Commissioner Christopher Mbulawa told Mmegi that several factors had led to delays on completion of the investigations.

“Investigations which involve many people are very complex.  Some people have to be traced and questioned.

At times questioning one person can take days depending on some circumstances.  These are some of the factors that delay investigations of such cases (the petition case),” he said yesterday.

Police experts are also analysing the handwritten signatures in the bogus petition, which needs time, according to Mbulawa. The spokesperson did not offer an explanation as to when the investigations will be complete.

“At this stage it is safe to say that the police are still investigating,” he said. The police announced that they would investigate the bogus petition case after the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) reported the matter.  BCP cited suspicion of criminal conduct by the instigator of the petition, Zazambi Tuelo and other BDP members.

In January, a month before investigations began, the BCP leadership had written a letter to the Commissioner of the Police. 

The letter stated that following their perusal of the petition the party came to the conclusion that there were intentions of fraud and contravention of section 348 of the Penal Code, which talks of uttering a false document.

The BCP letter written by Secretary General Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang stated that the District Commissioner and Permanent Secretary to the President, Eric Molale were deceived with a petition, believed to be fraudulent.

 Furthermore, Gobotswang raised to the attention of the commissioner forgery with intend to defraud and or deceive contrary to section 339 as per section 341 and 344 of the penal code.

“The intention of the fraudsters who masterminded this petition was to deceive the then acting President into believing that it was in the public’s interest in terms of section 46(1) of the Electoral Act to postpone a properly scheduled Francistown West by-elections,” read part of the letter by Gobotswang, which was widely circulated in the private media.

Also attached in the letter were sworn affidavits of BCP council candidate Thabo Nyambe, one Noah Mmusi and an independent forensic document consultant report, which backed the allegations by the BCP, and make a substantive case to be investigated by police.

Tuelo and other BDP members are cited as ringleaders of the petition.  Former Monarch South Councillor, Ignatius Moswaane is cited by the BCP as the intended beneficiary, who are alleged to have assisted the preparation of the said petition.

Late last year Parliament also resolved to have the said bogus petition investigated after Francistown South legislator, Wynter Mmolotsi, tabled a motion.

It (the motion) was passed after a heated debate between Members of Parliament (MP), which lasted for nearly three hours. 

The public petition, which many observers believe was bogus, resulted in the postponement of the Francistown West constituency by-election at the 11th hour from the initial date of November 23 to this year in January.

The by-election was postponed due to public interest informed by the bogus petition by the then acting Vice President, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe.