Morupisi and wife granted bail
Mpho Mokwape | Monday February 17, 2020 17:48
The duo who are facing charges among others money laundering were earlier today jailed after their bail was revoked due to their committal to the High Court for trial.
Appearing before Justice Komboni, the couple’s lawyers Busang Manewe explained that there was a consent order in regards to bail and its conditions, as the state did not oppose.
“My clients were jailed as mere procedure as it is common cause that when committal to the High Court happens, bail is revoked, its not that they have done anything wrong,” he said.
Following the state’s confirmation of non opposition, judge Komboni granted them bail with conditions that each bind themselves with P10, 000.00, that they do not interfere with state witnesses, also that they do not commit any similar offence while on bail and lastly that they appear in court whenever needed.
Morupisi, who arrived at the High Court in handcuffs and leg-irons under heavy security, is facing three counts of 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 and the company, R7 Group that she is its Director.
According to the charge sheet Morupisi is charged with three counts of abuse of office, acceptance of bribe by a public officer and money laundering while the wife is charged with only one count of money laundering.
The particulars of the offence is that on count one which is abuse of office, Morupisi while employed as the permanent secretary authorized 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 a 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 a valuable consideration to wit a Toyota land cruiser for himself and his wife’s company.
The last count which the wife is also charged, they are charged with money laundering and the particulars of the offence is that they acted together on or about May 15, 2017 and laundered the amount of P630 988.99 which was proceeds of crime.