Makgophe admits F/town West petition was fraudulent
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday May 9, 2017 15:42
The Commissioner of Police Keabetswe Makgophe reportedly made the rare admission yesterday (Monday) in a meeting with the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) president Dumelang Saleshando.
The BCP requested the meeting after a recent stance by the police that in “the absence of identifiable” suspects they cannot charge anyone for masterminding the bogus petition. The BCP stood fast in contention of the police’s position.
“In our meeting the Commissioner said that their investigations established that indeed the signatures in the petition were fake. They (police) also indicated some of those who are said to have signed the petition were dead people while some have never existed which rendered the petition fraudulent,” Saleshando said in an interview yesterday.
Saleshando added, “They said that their main problem was that they did not know who to pin to the offence. That is why they say no one was charged with regards to masterminding the petition”.
The petition had over 1,000 signatures. Following yesterday meeting, Saleshando said the BCP would consult its legal team to assess if the reasons stated by the police for not charging any of the petitioners are sound. Police spokesperson, Witness Bosija would not confirm or deny that the police have met officials from the BCP. “We do not discuss anything involving third parties with the media,” he said. The police started investigating the bogus petition in 2014 after the BCP reported the matter citing suspicion of criminal conduct by master minders of the petition. It was widely speculated that Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) activist and nominated councillor Zazambi Tuelo was behind the petition.
An investigation by Mmegi in 2013 revealed that the petition was bogus. It established that some of those said to be among the petitioners were dead. The publication also engaged a handwriting expert who concluded that signatures of the petition were fake as they had an identical handwriting.
The bogus petition led to the postponement of the Francistown West constituency by-election at the 11th hour. Those said to be behind the bogus petition wanted the election to be postponed because of public interest by the then acting Vice President Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe. They wanted their candidate, Ignatius Moswaane of the BDP who at the time was barred by Court from contesting to be allowed take part in the elections.