Choppies big honchos sue auditors for P450m

Ottapathu
Ottapathu

Choppies chief executive officer (CEO), Ramachandran Ottapathu and founder of the establishment, Farouk Ismail are demanding P450 million from PricewaterCoopers (PwC) Botswana, as they blame the auditors for alleged lapses that led to the listed grocer’s suspension from the stock exchange in 2018 and a collapse in value.

Ottapathu, popularly known as Ram, and Ismail claim PwC and its partner, Rudi Binedell breached the audit agreement they signed in 2018 and in the process made them lose millions.

According to their court documents, the two shareholders of Choppies accuse the auditors of breaching ethical, statutory and common law by prioritising their own interest and entrenching their position in the regional grocer’s without regard to the best interest of the company and its shareholders. “In the course of the purported execution of their duties as statutory auditors in relation to the Choppies financial year ended 2018, PwC breached their statutory, common law and ethical obligations,” read the papers prepared by Ramalepa Attorneys.

Editor's Comment
Stakeholders must step up veggie supply

The Ministry of Agriculture, local producers, retailers, and industry associations must work together to overcome the obstacles hindering vegetable production and distribution.This collaborative approach is essential to improve the availability, quality, and affordability of vegetables in the market.Firstly, the Ministry of Agriculture should provide support and guidance to local farmers to enhance their productivity and efficiency. This could...

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