Alleged CMS fraud kingpin jailed for 28 months

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Monday August 15, 2011 00:00

 

Ironically five others convicted of the same offences were last year sentenced to lengthy jail terms, while the alleged mastermind will only spend 16 months behind bars. Patrick Cole, Abram Marumo, Bushy Nthibo, Norman Maja and David Tumagole are all serving jail terms ranging from five to six years. 

It has emerged that government has recovered P2.1 million from Mogoaduba Venture Holdings' account. Lokwae, Norman Maja and Bushy Nthibo were convicted for defrauding the Botswana government of P3,797,303.42 by falsely pretending that Mogoaduba Venture Holdings (Pty) Ltd had sold and delivered pharmaceutical drugs in that amount to CMS.  State prosecutor Priscilla Israel said the P2.1 million was recovered and is in government coffers.

Israel submitted before court that Lokwae, Maja and Nthibo would have to compensate the remainder to government on equal terms. 'Lokwae has benefited immensely from this crime as such he has to compensate government the lost money,' Israel said.

Lokwae was further convicted of defrauding government by claiming that they had sold and delivered drugs worth P3,472,129.40 of which he (Lokwae) will share with Nthibo to compensate the government. The total amount of money government wants as compensation from Lokwae on two counts he is convicted of is close P2 million.

He was ordered to repay in five years. The government is seeking to recover the lost P21 million for the convicts.Lokwae has already spent over a year in jail.

Lokwae surrendered to the police early this year and was formally charged with two counts of fraud involving P7,269,429.80.