BDC probe: I'm clean, says Tibone

BAME PIET
Staff Writer | Friday December 16, 2011 00:00

 

Speaking to Mmegi yesterday, Tibone said that by including him on the committee fellow parliamentarians had demonstrated confidence in him and wondered why some people would want to question his integrity.  'I was appointed by Parliament which is a sign that my colleagues have trust in me to take part in these investigations.

They know me better and felt I was a person of integrity to represent them. If there is any person who knows me better than my fellow parliamentarians, then who am I to stop them from holding their views?I can't stop any person from holding their opinions,' he said. 

Botswana National Front (BNF) vice president and Kgatleng East MP Isaac Mabiletsa had earlier expressed reservations about Tibone's inclusion on the team, saying that as a former assistant minister, who recently resigned (eight months ago) he could still be having ties with the ministry under investigation. 

Mabiletsa felt that by virtue of being a former assistant minister, Tibone's engagement has compromised the committee's credibility. 'He is conflicted,' he said. He said that the Fengyue project was conceived during the time Tibone was in Cabinet and should therefore recuse himself.

The Kgatleng legislator said that the other issue with the committee is the engagement of South East South MP Odirile Motlhale who, in this case, is a whistleblower, who would be expected to give evidence to the committee.However, he said, Motlhale's credibility was not in doubt. Motlhale brought an urgent motion before Parliament three weeks ago, requesting it to set up a special committee to investigate the allegations of corruption carried in a series of newspaper articles since the beginning of the year.

The House unanimously adopted the motion, though some Cabinet members tried to resist the move at various platforms.On the engagement of non-parliamentarians, Mabiletsa said that he was confident that parliamentary legal advisor Thebe Ramokhuwa and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) advisor Phillip Mutambara would beef up the committee. 'We have got the best brains in Ramokhuwa and Mutambara, the latter, has experience in auditing,' he said.

Botswana Congress Party (BCP) spokesperson, Taolo Lucas, also said that he has confidence in the committee, stating that the majority, if not all of them, are of a good public standing. 'The fact that the committee is chaired by an opposition MP confirms its credibility. We have confidence in Kesupile,' said Lucas.

The inclusion of former minister Tibone may raise doubts about the credibility of the committee, given his previous association with the ministry, but the majority membership is enough to give the probe team credibility and integrity, he said.Both parties noted that the involvement of President Ian Khama's younger brother, Tshekedi, would not taint the team's credibility either, arguing that it would instead help open his eyes on some corrupt activities that may be taking place in Botswana. Efforts to speak to Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) officials did not bear any fruit.

Meanwhile, committee chairperson and Kanye South MP Kesupile announced that they would be meeting for the first time today to map the way forward, as they had had to wait for Parliament to wrap up its business. The House is still to find a replacement for Palapye MP Moiseraele Goya who quit a day after the committee was announced, citing his status as MP for Palapye and possible conflict of interest.