13 Jul 2020

The case involving Carter Morupisi, his wife Pinny and R7 Group (PTY) Limited resumes today after Gaborone High Court Judge Mokwadi Gabanagae adjourned it yesterday to give the prosecution an opportunity to confirm and compile evidence that will be admitted without calling witnesses.

Requesting the adjournment, assistant director of public prosecutions, Ms Priscilla Israel had said the prosecution team was in discussions with the defence regarding admission  of evidence from some witnesses and needed time to finalise the matter.

The postponement, she said, would also offer Mmegi newspaper, which has been offered the rights to broadcast court proceedings live, an opportunity to prepare.

Mr Busang Manewe for the defence concurred with the prosecution’s application for adjournment saying the move was borne out of the fact that the prosecution had lined up 31 witnesses and that his team had proposed admission of evidence from 22 of them.

“The evidence is bulky and therefore the postponement will give the prosecution an opportunity to compile a user-friendly case record,” said Mr Manewe.
First accused Carter Morupisi is facing two counts of corruption and is jointly charged with R7 Group (PTY) Limited and wife Pinny on one count of money laundering.

Particulars of the offence are that the first accused, whilst employed as Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) director, and holding the position of board chairman for the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF), allegedly on or about November 11, 2014 at or near Gaborone, without the final resolution of the board and in abuse of his public office, corruptly signed a contract with Capital Management Botswana as private equity managers and in the process obtained valuable consideration for himself and his wife’s company R7 Group (PTY) Limited.

On the second account, Morupisi is accused to have on or about May 15, 2017 at or near Gaborone, acting together and in consent with wife Pinny in her capacity as R& Group (PTY) Limited director, received valuable consideration in the form of a gold Toyota Land Cruiser pickup valued at R630 988. 99 for himself and his wife’s company, R7 Group (PTY) Limited.

On the count of money laundering, Morupisi and wife Pinny, together with R7 Group (PTY) Limited are alleged to have on or about May 15, 2017 in Gaborone received and converted to their personal use, a Toyota Land Cruiser pickup bought from South Africa, whilst they knew or had reasonable grounds for knowing or suspecting that the said vehicle registered B587 BEW was derived or bought, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly from the commission of the offence.