Guma, Olopeng probe hits three countries
Mpho Mokwape | Thursday June 16, 2016 18:00
Zimbabwe, China and South Africa are the countries where some of their business transactions took place.
Olopeng is Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture. The defence lawyers for the two legislators accused the state yesterday of abusing its power and the act under which the duo has been charged.
However, prosecutor Dumisani Marapo denied any abuse of power saying investigations have been ongoing more so that they needed to be carried out at a broader scale.
Marapo explained that the investigations have to be carried out in three countries, which are Zimbabwe, South Africa and China, as some of the transactions took place there.
“We have so far written to the three countries. Zimbabwe has responded and the investigating officer has already made trips there. We are hoping that he will make one last trip and conclude the investigations there. South Africa has not yet responded though we are hoping they will do so soon, while the Chinese letter has not been sent as it is still at their embassy awaiting to be translated into Chinese,” he said.
Marapo also maintained that they have been going according to the court order since it did not give any timeframe as to when the investigations should be completed and said that the court can give direction in that to avoid further complaints by the accused. Earlier, Olopeng’s lawyer Doctor Pusoentsi told Village Chief Magistrate, Mompati Taolo that the state is abusing its power and the Proceeds and Instruments of Crime Act in the case.
He said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has been going against what the act was created for despite knowing that the case is not going anywhere and continues to hold on to the financial accounts of the MPs.
Pusoentsi charged at the DPP saying they have not made any progress regarding the investigations into the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) legislators’ case, yet continues to deny them access to their bank accounts, something that infringes on their basic rights.
“The act is being abused. This is not what it was meant to do. The case is going nowhere, the applicants have denied my clients access to their accounts for a year now. It is totally not fair on our clients,” he said. Pusoentsi also stated that their enquiries on DPP have not borne any fruit except that investigations were still ongoing.
Earlier on, Guma’s lawyer Moses Kadye also decried lack of progress in the case while his client continues to suffer at the mercy of the state. He argued that every time they appear before court it is the same delay coming from the state. “The DPP has not shown any progress in their investigations and it has become a daunting task to come here all the time.
We are fed up with the same excuse everyday, while our clients are denied access to what belongs to them,” he said.
Magistrate Taolo also concurred with the defence saying that the whole process was not fair on the accused with their accounts being frozen, while the DPP have not shown any progress.
He explained that the accused could not continue to suffer as it has been a year since the accounts have been frozen.
“The accused should not be subjected to such punishment and being denied to live. We need to make progress and we need to have an understanding of the rule nisi that was issued,” he said.The case has been set for July 4, 2016.