We�re in charge, insists BPL board
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Friday July 29, 2016 15:35
Besides taking the mother body to court, the BPL board was suspended for its refusal to reinstate BPL chief executive officer (CEO), Bennett Mamelodi. Other acts include continuous engagement with the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) over issues that could have been dealt with by the BFA as well as interfere with the sponsor, beMOBILE.
BFA NEC also announced they were unhappy with the BPL board sanctioning the game between Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Jwaneng Galaxy where Chiefs were crowned champions. BFA president, Tebogo Sebego revealed at the time that the association will take charge of the duties of the BPL board while the issue awaits the intervention of the general assembly.
However, the board has since said they will ignore the resolution of that meeting, which led to their suspension, as it was unconstitutional.
The board said it will provide necessary evidence to demonstrate that charges that have been levelled against the BPL are frivolous.
“The board’s concern is with the illegal gathering that was convened by the president and his lackeys that took the decision to suspend the board. The illegal gathering that was convened after the closure of a properly constituted meeting of the NEC does not comply with Article 37 of the constitution and is accordingly unconstitutional. Any decisions taken at such unconstitutional and illegally convened gatherings are of no force or effect,” the board said through a press statement.
The board further said they shall ignore the resolutions of the BFA NEC and shall continue to discharge its constitutional mandate of running the affairs pertaining to football in the Premier League.
Before its suspension, the BPL board had among other things engaged an independent company to carry out a forensic audit. The board roped in ADM to investigate close to 30 processes at the BPL after the suspension of Mamelodi.
The company’s main duties will be to assess current policies, procedures and controls at the BPL. The company is to identify possible discrepancies, weaknesses and misappropriation of the BPL’s assets. It was also to identify possible misconduct in relation to organisational assets and supply management with evidence for possible civil and criminal prosecution.
The company was also to assess all the BPL contracts and sponsorships in order to identify shortcomings in relation to the BPL Scope of Investigation.
A report was then to be issued afterwards, which would set out shortcomings identified as well as recommended remedial action to be taken. In its letter to the BPL chairperson, Rapula Okaile, ADM Financial Forensic Services company, through its official, Marlize Hollenbach, said they will charge a reduced fee of R580 per hour for investigation and obtaining information.
Hollenbach said they normally charge R650 per hour for such services.
They also quoted an amount of R4.30 per kilometre for travel as they do the investigations. “Investigation status feedback will be given on a bi-weekly basis.
A final report will be issued to management upon the conclusion of the investigation,” the company official said in the letter.
The investigation follows another one carried by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) where several items including computers were confiscated.