Morupisi and wife stand trial next month
Mpho Mokwape | Wednesday June 17, 2020 12:55
The couple, facing a common charge of money laundering, appeared today before the High Court’s Justice Christopher Gabanage.
The trial will start from July 13 to 17, 2020 and will continue on July 23 to 27, 2020 after the state had indicated that it intends to call 30 witnesses.
Prosecutor Kentse Molome said of the 30 witnesses that about five are based in South Africa.
“The witnesses who are outside are key witnesses in the case and in the event that they are not allowed to travel, arrangements will be made through the use of technology,” she said.
Apart from money laundering, Morupisi is facing two other charges for offences alleged to be in connection with the misappropriation of funds from the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF).
He is charged together with his wife, Pini and her company, R7 Group that she is director in.
According to the charge sheet, Morupisi is charged on three counts being abuse of office, acceptance of bribe by a public officer and money laundering, while his wife is charged with a count of money laundering.
The particulars of the offence are that on count one which is abuse of office, Morupisi while employed as the permanent secretary authorised Capital Management Botswana (CMB) to administer the BPOPF funds as a private equity managers and obtained valuable consideration for himself and his wife’s company.
On count two of acceptance of bribe by an officer after doing the act contrary to section 26 of Corruption and Economic Crime Act, Morupisi is accused of acting together with the wife in her personal capacity and as the director of R7 Group to receive valuable consideration to wit a Toyota Land Cruiser for himself and his wife’s company.
On the last count which the wife is also facing, they are charged with money laundering and the particulars of the offence are that they acted together on or about May 15, 2017 and laundered the amount of P630,988.99, which are proceeds of crime.
Busang Manewe represents Morupisi and wife.