BDP activist cleared of defilement charge

Bateng was discharged and acquitted by Principal Magistrate Game Mooketsi. Just after he was charged with defilement, Bateng was slapped with an indefinite suspension by the party. At the time he was the secretary for BDP Francistown East branch.

He also spent sometime in custody after his initially arrest. “The most painful thing is that I was denied an opportunity to defend my position as the branch secretary of Francistown East. I am however, happy that I have finally been cleared of the charge. The case gave me sleepless nights. I do not want to dwell much on the circumstances of the case, but it prevented me from planning ahead. I also missed important party activities,” Bateng said in an interview. Bateng’s suspension caused tension in the BDP Francistown region.