The DCEC must be sued for being vindictive
Correspondent | Monday March 30, 2015 15:54
This trend is disturbing to say the least. Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime(DCEC) is itself guilty of abusing public funds and state coffers for victimising people unnecessarily, dragging them to courts and later DPP withdrawing cases against them. This trend cannot go unchallenged as it does not only tarnish those holding office and their immediate families but also tarnishes the image of the nation. Careers are ruined in the process and inevitably family cohesion is affected as children question the values of their parents only for cases to be thrown out of the courts. Children begin to doubt the conduct of their guardians only for the cases to be withdrawn.
Dikgakgamatso Ramadeluka Seretse is one such high profile figure who resigned as the Minister of Defence and Security at the height of allegations against him by DCEC citing that he has improperly and unconstitutionally gained from the ministry he heads. Ndelu was to later be reinstated to the ministry after his case was thrown out of the courts because there was no evidence on the startling allegations made against him. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that part of the reasons why Ramadeluka lost his parliamentary seat was because of these false allegations. When siblings are made to doubt the morality of their caretakers simply because the DCEC went vindictive on people then the DCEC must be made to pay, it must be severely sued.
This is a political career ruined by the DCEC. Ndelu is still trying to get back to his political strength and the DCEC goes on as if all is normal. Not only did the DCEC ruin the political career of a Motswana but also caused both itself and the DPP to engage time and resources of the public in pursuing what now appear to have been a personal vendetta. It is matters like these that cause the children and the young politicians to question the ethicality of their mentors only for such cases to be thrown out of the courts when the damage has already been done.
These cases which are normally referred to as “high profile corruption cases” such as the one involving the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr. Kenneth Mathambo which was also thrown out of the courts for no sufficient evidence will go a long way in damaging reputations without cause.
The DCEC must be brought to task for destroying reputations and strong built careers of innocent Batswana. In the case of Mathambo it was also worse that the Parliament of Botswana was more embarrassed for having adopted a parliamentary report it had adopted only for the court to issue an order against such an adoption of the report citing unfairness and unnecessary victimisation. If the DCEC can embarrass parliament and gets away with it then we have a problem.
One will not forget that Samson Guma was also forced to resign as the Assistant Minister of Finance and Development Planning after DCEC peddled allegations of theft against him. Though Guma retained his parliamentary seat with a huge margin, he was never to return to his ministerial position. This is another political career badly damaged by the DCEC. Guma was presented in the public domain as corrupt, a thief and untrustworthy only for the allegations to turn out to have been grossly faulty. In short, Guma was made to resign by the DCEC as his intention was to clear his name. Though he never went to the courts as DPP did not have anything on him, the public courts had already set his trial, prosecuted and sentenced him to a guilty verdict. This is all a result of the DCEC.
These people must sue the DCEC for damaged careers and damaged reputations. Allowing the DCEC to go on like this is setting a terrible trend. The DCEC and its Director General must face the music. They must pay both as government employees and as individuals.
As we are here now, another family has lost a father and husband in Louis Nchindo. Nchindo was dragged to the DCEC on so many countless allegations of corruption that it will be difficult to remember what exactly what was going on. Nchindo’s case was withdrawn from the courts, all the co - accused including, Garvas Nchindo, Jacob Sesinyi and Joe Matome are free men; having been set free by the courts of law.
The more sad part of the story is that Louis Nchindo had to commit suicide against the backdrop of startling allegations made against him. Nchindo is no more and his case is no more, withdrawn by DPP as information from the DCEC was not forth coming for any possible conviction. I can confidently say that the DCEC killed Nchindo, destroyed the reputation he built for himself and his family over the years.
They stole Louis Nchindo from his children and from his wife yet it goes on as normal. The Nchindo family must sue for all these losses they suffered at the hands of this directorate which has become more of a liability to the country.
This is more like a battle for public glory where those who are able to make it are jealousy pinned down. This is what the ordinary man in the street will term “a pull him down syndrome”. Unfortunately this is done using public funds. The DCEC officials are themselves guilty of abusing powers conferred to them to serve the public then instead serve their egos and personal battles. I have no reason not to suspect that this is all a war of personal battles and vendettas.
Those who do not agree with me must give me one single “high profile corruption case” which the DCEC handed over to DPP for prosecution and was not either withdrawn or thrown out. And no one should give me that crap about the DPP not having legally strong lawyers. Such a story does not hold water anymore. Why is it that we have been made to believe the DPP does not have strong cases only when cases are about public figures?
These citizens and many more who have suffered family losses, financial gains, reputational damages, career damages etc. must sue the DCEC, its Director General and anyone who was party to such allegations against them that have been thrown out of court and dismissed.
The DCEC and its officials must be stopped from abusing power, abusing public funds and abusing public office. And as the matter stands those who have been victimised must assist the nation through as many law suits as possible against the DCEC.
Gofitile Keotshwaetse