29 Jan 2017

Copyright Society of Botswana (COSBOTS) board chairman, Solomon Monyame,  says the report released by the independent attorney and a corporate goernance consultant shows nothing remiss in the running of the organisation.  

Briefing the media recently, Monyame said COSBOTS had to engage an independent attorney and corporate governance consultant to undertake some due diligence exercise following a request from the board and after receiving a report on certain matters reported to the organisation in a document titled: Legal Opinion authored by legal services officer, Pearl Mahlaha on August 2, 2016.

“If people want the full report they can come to our offices, but I will share with the media some of the conclusions that were made on some of the key issues,” he said, adding findings of the exercise had been accepted and consented to and signed by every board member.

On the issue of the chief executive officer’s conduct, he said the consultant’s report had found nothing remiss about his conduct but rather commended him for handling operational issues well and in the interests of the society.

He also told the media that the report also revealed that there was nothing wrong about service providers, On Quest and Africo Bean that were engaged by COSBOTS, he said “there was nothing about Africo Beam that required escalation to the board; much less an escalation as emergency so long after the death of Africo Beam’s dealings with COSBOTS”.

Furthermore, he explained that services provided by OnQuest were operational and had no place in a governance review to any greater or lesser extent than any other outsourced services.

“The consultants ensured with the full cooperation of the board that the chairman, being myself, took no part in the investigation and subsequent deliberations because of my substantial interest in OnQuest.

Also, this matter had previously been intensely investigated by DCEC and nothing was determined remiss regarding the contract with OnQuest,” he said.

On the audit process and reluctance by auditors to approve COSBOTS financial statements, Monyame said consultants had also found no cause for controversy or concern regarding COSBOTS’ audited financials and that all audited financials statutorily had been filed since its inception.

Again, he said consultants had also determined that the purchase of a motor vehicle for the CEO was authorised through a resolution of the board and the vehicle was registered in the name of the society and formed part of its assets and therefore no evidence of wrongdoing by the CEO. BOPA