FRAFA Elections, Regional General Assembly Postponed
Lebogang Mosikare | Monday June 4, 2018 12:08
The BFA and its second vice president Pelotshweu Motlogelwa who is responsible for finance, marketing and research, have been hauled before the High Court here by suspended Francistown Regional Football Association (FRAFA) secretary general, Isaac Mabutha.
The BFA and Motlogelwa are cited as the first and second respondents respectively.
Mabutha took the decision to take the respondents before the High Court on an urgent basis after he was suspended by the BFA through a letter dated May 29, 2018 for alleged misappropriation of funds.
The letter from Motlogelwa on behalf of BFA president Maclean Letshwiti partly reads: “On May 17, 2018, I wrote to you requesting for an account of several bank transactions including one involving a transfer from the Regional Bank account into your personal account. We have therefore decided to institute full investigations into the FRAFA finances. In the meantime, you are suspended with immediate effect from all BFA activities pending finalisation of investigations. We urge you to avail yourself during the investigations”. The cumulative effect of the suspension of Mabutha from all BFA activities meant that he was not going to take part in the FRAFA elections and regional committee assembly that was supposed to have taken place on June 2.
Sensing how the suspension was going to affect him, Mabutha instructed attorney Mbiganyi Mhizha to interdict the BFA from conducting the FRAFA elections and the regional assembly.
Mabutha sees his suspension as a ploy by some people to stop him from challenging Maokaneng Bontshetse, the current FRAFA chairperson, for the coveted post of the regional chairperson.
On Friday following Mabutha’s suspension for alleged misappropriation of funds, Justice Phadi Solomon gave an order (consent draft order) postponing the FRAFA elections and general assembly that were scheduled for June 2 in Francistown.
The order also states that the respondents shall file their answering affidavit on June 4 while the applicant shall file his replying affidavit, if any, on June 6.
“The matter shall be heard on June 7 while the costs of the application would be awarded later to a party who the court would rule in his favour,” reads the consent draft order.
This football imbroglio has the potential to scare away potential sponsors who may have been harbouring intentions of funding the BFA or teams affiliated to the association.
At the end of this muddle even if the court rules in favour of either party in the matter, football will be the greatest loser.
Amongst prominent people who came to court on Friday were former BFA president Tebogo Sebego and his wife, Tebogo Lebotse-Sebego.