Retired soldiers, Gov't settlement talks collapse

The two parties last week Wednesday sat for talks with the aim of settling out of court. The government had proposed an out of court settlement after indicating that they have secured P1.5bn for the settlement. In a brief interview with an ex soldier and representative of ‘A re Ishekeng’, Brigadier Mabe Gaborone, yesterday, he confirmed that they will go back to court to inform the judge about the new development. “We sat for talks on Wednesday and we failed to reach an agreement. We decided its best we go before the judge again and sort a way forward,” he said. Gaborone had last week said despite the government proposing a settlement ,they are firm and will agree for an out of court settlement when their demands are met. Meanwhile, last week Monday before an out of court settlement proposal, the Attorney General, the Ministry of Defence and Security and retired soldiers were supposed to face each other in a case which the latter are suing the government for transferring their pension to the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF) without their consent. In the class action case, the soldiers argue that it was illegal and unlawful contrary to the provisions of the BDF Act and its regulations for their pensions to have been transferred to BPOPF without their consent.