Seretse resigns

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Tuesday August 31, 2010 00:00

 

The Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Ramadeluka Seretse stepped down yesterday citing personal reasons.

'I have resigned for personal reasons,' he told Mmegi without elaborating. There have been suggestions that the minister could have been asked to resign by President Ian Khama upon learning that he was going to face criminal charges. But the minister told Mmegi that he resigned of his own volition.

Although he would not explain why he chose to resign, sources have revealed that the minister might have stepped down because of a probe by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (DCEC). It is understood the DCEC investigated the minister for failure to declare to President Khama his interest in a company doing business with departments under his docket.

The DCEC is said to have tied up its investigations for possible conflict of interest and forwarded the docket to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for action. The investigation centred on the award of tenders to RFT Botswana (Pty) Ltd - a company whose directors are the minister's wife and brother.

The company has won tenders worth over P1 million from departments under Seretse's ministry.

The resignation of the minister was announced in a press statement by government spokesman, Jeff Ramsay. 'A statement from the permanent secretary to the President states that H.E. the President, Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama, has accepted the Hon. Seretse's resignation.

Members of the public are further informed that the Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration has been appointed to act as the Minister for Defence, Justice and Security from tomorrow until further notice,' reads the statement from Ramsay.

Meanwhile sources in the legal fraternity have revealed that Seretse's case of possible conflict of interest might be hauled before court as soon as tomorrow.