BDP slapped with P2.3m legal bill

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday December 12, 2014 20:30

 

Last month the law firm’s legal eagle, Parks Tafa represented the BDP in a controversial case in which the ruling party wanted the court to declare a section of parliamentary standing orders unconstitutional.

The BDP and the Attorney General lost with cost.

“Our party is going to pay lot of money for this case. The total cost that we are likely going to pay is close to P5 million. There was no need for this matter to be taken to court when we had the numbers in Parliament. If we really needed it as a matter of urgency, our BDP parliamentary caucus would have agreed to table a motion to that effect and we were going to win by votes,” a source said.

Most worrying to the central committee was that the bill of cost appeared to be higher than those of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP) combined.

“Though unhappy at the fact it did not sanction the court case nor instructed Collins and Newman, the central committee resolved to negotiate with the law firm to reduce the cost if possible. Yes, the party must endeavor to settle its debts, but given the amount, the central committee thought it should negotiate,” said the source. “The committee felt that it is important that it be informed about what would play out in the public domain, and that the party should only go to the courts when it is absolutely necessary,” said another source.

BDP deputy executive secretary Lee Lesetedi, however, said his office could not comment on issues of finance and referred this publication to party treasurer Satar Dada who refused to comment.

Lesetedi was equally non-yielding on the reported central committee meeting,  “I do not know what you are talking about. I have not attend the meeting and cannot comment on what was said there,” he said.

Equally non-committal Tafa when asked about his company’s bill to the BDP. “I do not know what you are talking about. In any event the information you are asking me to confirm falls within attorney-client privilege and cannot be disclosed or be a matter of newspaper speculation,” he said.