Bobirwa council employees face embezzlement charges
Ryder Gabathuse | Friday March 12, 2021 13:29
In what looks like a typical inside job, officers are runnung helter-skelter with the cops in hot pursuit. Two council employees and three alleged accomplices were seen whisked away.
The police later allegedly recovered the alleged stolen money from the suspects’ personal banking accounts. They were also found awash with unexplained hard cash and homes adorned with goods bought with the allegedly stolen money.
Apparently, the Bobirwa Sub District Council is at it again. Police commentators suggest there is a completed case from 2019 in which council employees applied a similar modus operandi to siphon funds from the local authority. The police were unable to state how much was stolen then.
But Mmegi is privy to the details that the police have made major recoveries of the loot in the current case. They have even vowed to leave no stone unturned in their endeavour to recover the public funds this time. More heads are also expected to roll as the police continue to dig deeper and deeper.
An insider at the municipality hinted to Mmegi about the modus operandi allegedly used by the two council employees, which entailed diverting and embezzling funds from the local authority.
The council pair, now under the police radar, allegedly took advantage of two payments that were due to be made around the same time after approval by seniors. Instead, they paid their preferred ‘friends’ that were not even expecting any payments from the council as they did not have any work done for the council that warranted payment.
The council was amongst others due to pay two companies, one based in Francistown and another one other in Selebi-Phikwe, a combined amount of about P535, 102.32 which ended up in the wrong pockets. Just after a day of ‘illegally’ disbursing the funds, the money would quickly find its way into the personal accounts of three people. One, a primary school teacher, a filling station manager and a self-employed person before the loot was allegedly directed to the pockets of the council employees. It was then quickly converted into various goods that included building materials, motor vehicles and other personal effects.
However, it all allegedly went awry some few days later when the rightful claimants of the payments reared up at the council premises. Their simple request for due payments set the cat amongst the pigeons.
Mmegi is informed that the officer in charge of payments immediately took up the matter with the Bobonong police who came snooping. They took in five people who were duly charged to account for the missing money.
Bobonong police station commander, Superintendent Paul Seoko confirmed that his office was duly investigating a case in which five people are facing criminal charges following the council’s stolen funds. “We are still investigating the matter. The public should assist us with any information relating to some of these matters. It may have started with five people but it may escalate,” warned Seoko in an interview.
According to the court records, Linda Mooketsi, chief accounts officer and department intern, Wame Duduetsang Diatelo on or about November 10, 2020 at or near Bobirwa Sub-district council in Bobonong whilst employed as a chief accounts officer and an intern respectively, stole P535, 102.32, money which came into their possession by virtue of their employment in the Bobirwa Sub District Council. The duo is facing a charge of stealing by servant.
Other accused persons are Kenny Mbikiwa (teacher at Bobonong Primary School), Arnold Molosiwa (manager at Engen Filling Station) and Ogorogile Rababonye (self-employed).
Allegations on Rababonye were that on or about November 11, 2020 at or near Mabumahibidu ward in Bobonong, he unlawfully received money amounting to P535, 102.32, knowing or having reason to believe the same to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained. All the accused persons last week appeared for mention before the Selebi-Phikwe Magistrate court.
Senior Assistant Council Secretary (SACS) for the Bobirwa Sub District, Gomolemo Moepeng was in no mood to give the details on what transpired at the council.
“The case that we have is still fresh. Investigations by the police have just started, so I am reluctant to comment on the matter for fear that I may jeopardise the police investigations with my comment,” noted Moepeng.
Speaking to counsel Reneetswe Rabosotho who represents accused Rababonye, in this matter, he couldn’t comment as, “I haven’t been given instructions in that regard.”
Attorney Oganeditse Marata represents accused Mooketsi in this matter, whilst the other trio does not have legal representations at this stage of the case.