Due to the matter, the Commissioner of Labour in Palapye will on Monday hear a case in which aspiring Member of Parliament (MP) candidate for Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in Palapye, Gaaesi Western Morake is challenging his dismissal from his position as the Executive Secretary of the Trust. According to sources, on November 9, 2023, Morake was slapped with a suspension letter pending investigations following allegations of misconduct.
It was alleged that Morake had contrary to the Board’s resolution, made a payment to Auditors without the Board’s authority. Morake was also accused of accepting the handing over of a plot leased to Choppies without maintenance although such is provided in the lease and expending an amount of P377, 385.69 on the said maintenance. He was also accused of entering into a business transaction in his personal capacity for supply of wall tiles despite the Board rejecting the proposed transaction.
Furthermore, Morake was also alleged to have authorised a letter of bank withdrawal and payments to himself on behalf of Jacinth Holdings without authority of the Board. Asked to show why cause disciplinary action could not be taken against him, Morake said he had not violated any provisions governing his employment. He wrote to the Board that he had always conducted himself professionally and in accordance with the rules and regulations governing his employment. Morake would then go for a disciplinary hearing on December 14, 2023, which was then followed by a Board meeting on January 10, 2024 to consider the report and recommendations made by the chairperson of the disciplinary hearing.
The Board argued that the disciplinary hearing erred. “Further note that the recommendations of the chairperson of the disciplinary hearing are not binding on the Board, especially where the chairperson errs on a point of law or facts as presented before him. The Board therefore rejects the finding and recommendation of the Disciplinary Chairperson and finds you guilty of the charges preferred against you on a balance of probabilities,” Board chairperson Joseph Nwako stated in a letter to Morake.
The three charges he was found guilty of are: Payments without Board authorisation; Conduct prejudicial to the interest of the Trust; and Mismanagement and failure to declare conflict of interest. Nwako stated that the finding by the Board was based on his admission of the conduct complained of and does not accept the apology for the said conduct sufficiently dislodges the charges. “The Board further informs you that it rejected the recommendation to issue you a final written warning on the grounds that, where a chairperson returns a verdict, of not guilty, no punishment is imposed,” Nwako stated. He would then invite Morake to mitigate before the Board imposed a penalty or punishment.
In response, Morake said he would not mitigate since he had not been found guilty by the hearing. He also lamented that he had long requested for the report but it was never provided. He would then be summarily dismissed and ordered to immediately hand over properties belonging to the Trust. He then heeded the call by Nwako by appealing to the Commissioner of Labour. Both Morake and Nwako would not offer comments stating that the matter is set to be heard before the Commissioner of Labour.
