Suspended BDP activist sworn in as a councilor
Lebogang Mosikare | Friday December 13, 2019 14:59
Otsile Mose took oath of office despite the BDP having suspended him for assaulting another BDP activist, Otto Masogo in 2017. Moses together with Boago Mosarwane and Chidzani Mokgwebe were later hauled before Magistrate Lebogang Kebeetsweng for assaulting Masogo.
The trio is alleged to have slapped Masogo and also used chairs to assault him, which in the process led to Masogo sustaining some injuries.
Police documents also show that the trio ended up breaking Masogo’s spectacles following the scuffle.
After the trio allegedly assaulted Masogo, the BDP moved swiftly and suspended them from any party activities pending the finalisation of the matter before court. During case management conference, the trio admitted the evidence of many state witnesses including Masogo save for the evidence of the investigating officer.
Judgement in the matter will be delivered in February next year-a development that was confirmed by the case prosecutor this week. Legal experts are of the view that the state has a strong case against the accused since they have already admitted that they have assaulted Masogo.
In a related matter, Mosarwane was also hired as one of the administration officers at the office of the Member of Parliament for Francistown West, Ignatius Moswaane.
Following the nomination of Moses and hiring of Mosarwane, backlash and finger pointing erupted in Francistown West with some BDP cadres questioning how Moses and Mosarwane were chosen to hold public office while they are on indefinite suspension.
The trio allegedly assaulted Masogo during the controversy-ridden BDP regional elective congress at Donga Junior Secondary School. The congress was held to choose delegates who were going to Tonota to vote for the party’s leadership.
By then, President Mokgweetsi Masisi had the backing of former President Ian Khama before their messy fallout.
Additionally, Masogo was a well-known sympathiser of the Masisi faction while the trio just like their political grandmaster Moswaane, were on the side of the vanquished Nonofho Molefhi camp, which was whitewashed by the Masisi bloc in Tonota.
The executive secretary of the BDP Ame Makoba said this week that he was constrained to talk about the matter because issues of discipline are internal party processes that cannot be shared with third parties.