Francistown tycoons in court over land scandal
Friday, August 06, 2010
The criminal case centres around suspected corrupt sale of state land in Francistown and surrounding areas, Kasane and Tatisiding. The estimated value of land that has purportedly been illegally transacted amounts to about P2, 449,800.
The suspects are principal state counsel, Moloko Mokgokong; assistant revenue collector at the department of lands in Francistown Reuben Tshule; principal technical lands officer in Francistown; and 30 people who are mainly respected tycoons. The civil servants face about 87 counts, among them corruption, falsification of records and obtaining by false pretences. The tycoons and their businesses mainly face a common charge of corrupting a public officer.
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...