Please pray for me - Seretse

CALISTUS KOLANTSHO
Correspondent | Tuesday September 21, 2010 00:00

 

Seretse mentioned that he owed it to the residents to explain why he recently resigned from Cabinet. He explained that when he was elected to Parliament, he was blessed to be given a Cabinet post and the residents were equally excited to have a representative who got the nod to Cabinet.

'I guess you were surprised to see that I am not using an official vehicle with a flag. Today I am driving my own personal vehicle,' he said. Seretse explained that a 'certain political organisation' had accused him of being corrupt because his company had been selling equipments to government departments under his ministry. He mentioned that the organisation had been agitating for his dismissal by President Ian Khama or for him to step down.  He stated that the party reported him to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), which conducted investigations. He mentioned that the matter was handed to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for prosecution. Seretse told the residents that the DPP served him with a charge sheet, which stated that he was facing charges of corruption and that he had failed to declare his interests in the company.

'I decided to resign from my Cabinet post after being served with the charge sheet. I told the President that the matter needed my undivided attention and I needed to clear my name and that of the nation,' he said.

Seretse asserted that it would have looked bad to be a minister while facing charges of corruption. He said if sent to jail, it would be fine because 'if someone is found guilty of a criminal offence, they must serve time in jail'.  He pointed out that he did not want to dwell much on the matter because it was before the courts. He stated that he has not taken a plea yet because he has asked to be given some documents by the prosecution. He pointed out that he would be appearing before the court on October 6, and he will take the plea if the prosecution would have by then furnished them (defence team) with the documents they have asked for. Seretse informed the electorate that the charges have not changed him at all.

'If I go to jail, I will not have time to come back and apologise and my position as your MP will be over. I am the only one who knows the truth about the matter. These are some of the challenges of life. Those who are harassing you about this matter tell them that you are waiting for the truth,' he said.