Minister’s ‘missing’ imprest lands secretary in trouble

The money for the minister’s imprest and utilities had been encashed from the government revenue office for use by the Assistant Minister, but he ever received it. According to the court, Lebengwa, the appellant in the matter, was employed by the government of Botswana as a Senior Executive Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, based in Gaborone, and was entrusted with funds to pass on to the Assistant Minister.

The appellant alleged that she kept it in a drawer and found it missing, and suspected that other colleagues who had access to the drawer might have taken it. The matter was escalated to the Permanent Secretary. The appellant made an undertaking to repay the money. She wrote a letter to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Trade and Industry dated November 3, 2009, agreeing to pay the sum that went missing while in her possession.