FCC deputy Mayor Modenga in police custody
Lebogang Mosikare | Tuesday February 7, 2017 15:46
Although the police would not disclose reasons for Modenga’s incarceration at Francistown Police Station ,commonly known as Central Police Station, they confirmed that he is being investigated for reports lodged by different people against him. Station commander, superintendent Lebalang Maniki confirmed Modenga’s detention.
“Modenga is in our custody. He was arrested in Gaborone over the weekend. We are questioning him about certain reports lodged by different people against him.
At this stage we cannot reveal our investigations against Modenga should we decide to later charge him with any offence,” said Maniki.
Although Maniki was cagey with details relating to why Modenga is in police custody, sources close to the matter say that he is being questioned in relation to suspicions of obtaining by false pretences.
Modenga, who rarely attends council sessions for health reasons, is not new to controversy.
His regular absence from council sessions has irked both the BDP and opposition councillors who recommended that he be recalled because he hardly attends council sessions.
Last year in August, Modenga was dragged before the small claims court for nonpayment of P3,500 as money for four goats that he took from one Tebalo Mpona.
However, Mpona told the court then that despite repeated demands to get his money from Modenga, the BDP councillor for Moselewapula ward kept playing hide and seek instead of honouring his part of the contract to pay the debt.
Mpona then petitioned the Magistrate’s court seeking orders to compel Modenga to pay the money plus costs.
Magistrate Jennifer Chikate would later issued a default judgement against the debt-ridden and controversy plagued Modenga after he failed to appear in court even though he was duly served with papers ordering him to appear in court.
In April last year, the same Magistrate court ordered Modenga to pay three months installments of P5,000 for a P15,000 loan he acquired from one Lumbidzani Bajo.
Then, documents produced in court showed that the take-home salary of the controversial councillor who drives a sleek Range Rover, was P200 after all deductions and other debts had been paid.
Bajo’s attorney David Olatotse then made a garnishee order against Modenga to compel him to settle the debt. Olatotse made an application to recoup P5,000 every month from Modenga.
In June last year, Mmegi reported that crime-busters from the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) were investigating Modenga and some FCC employees about allegations of illegally selling of Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) land.
When Mmegi contacted the then FCC clerk Lebuile Israel at the time in relation to the alleged illegal sale of SHHA land, he refused to comment saying that he did not want to jeopardise the DCEC investigations.