COSBOTS shrugs off leaked corruption allegations
Spira Tlhankane | Tuesday June 13, 2017 18:00
The mail released by an anonymous source claiming to be an employee of the society intended to expose the alleged corruption from within, but COSBOTS has since done nothing to conduct internal investigations on the matter.
COSBOTS communications manager, Seeletso Lekgaba told Showbiz that they have seen the document, but so far nothing has been done to rectify the issue. “We are tired of the ongoing corruption, which robs Botswana creatives of their rightful funds by the CEO and some board and former board members for personal greed,” the statement read.
The document further accused COSBOTS CEO, Thato Mokobi of tricking the current chair, Prince Monna into signing over power of attorney and therefore misleading the courts.
“Currently the CEO has been bragging that he is going to Rwanda to start a similar CMO there, so even if the forensic audit implicates him and his partner the former board chair, they will just challenge the legality of the audit procedure, then he will just move to Rwanda and he will be untouchable” further read the statement.
When asked about the allegations, Mokobi said he had read the document that was circulating on social media. “I have been out the country so I haven’t had the time to verify if indeed the mentioned document was written by our own employees,” he said.
Mokobi cited however that it would be difficult to determine the source of the document because it emerged on social media. He said he would tackle the matter once he returns to the office.
The document intended to expose COSBOTS corruption further accused Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA) of tolerating the mess at COSBOTS, misleading youth ministry and failing to protect its members’ interests.
“CIPA is supposed to be a guiding and supervisory parent to COSBOTS, but despite many reports by members, who are actually shareholders of the company and us as employees, they continue to turn a blind eye because either they are implicated, which as employees we don’t have proof of, but we know,” read the statement.
The communications manager of CIPA, Marietta Magashula told Showbiz that they have also seen the document, but declined to comment further. “There is ongoing forensic investigations at COSBOTS and we are counting on the audit to reveal corruption if at all there is any,” she highlighted.
While it is difficult to prove that the leaked document came from COSBOTS employees, industry players and veterans like Alfredo Mos have been at the forefront to expose the alleged corruption done by the board and Mokobi.
Even recently during MMP Family’s video launch at New Capitol Cinemas in Masa, the public relations officer of Botswana Entertainment Promoters Association (BEPA), Gilbert Seagile described COSBOTS as a problem child (ngwana yoo tlhogo tona).
So many industries have been complaining about the organisation and Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development have long promised to take it under their wing in order to stabilise and regulate it, Seagile said.