29 Jul 2020

Prosecution has abandoned calling former Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund CEO, Lesedi Moakofhi as an accomplice witness. 

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Priscilla Israel informed the Gaborone High Court on July 28 that Moakofhi was now charged with corruption.

Moakofhi was to give evidence as an accomplice witness as she is alleged to have played a part in the signing of the contract alleged to have been done without the authority of the board of trustees. 

The ongoing trial before Judge Mokwadi Gabanagae involves former Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP) Carter Morupisi, R7 Group and Pinny Morupisi. 

The first accused person, Morupisi is facing two counts of corruption and is also on another count, jointly charged with R7 Group and Pinny Morupisi on a count of money laundering.

On the first count, Morupisi is charged with corruption, contrary to section 24A (1) read with section 24A (3) of the Corruption and Economic Crime Act. 

Particulars of the offence are that the accused person, whilst employed by the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) serving as a public officer who held the position of board chairman for the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF), on or about November 11, 2014, at or near Gaborone without the final resolution of the board and in abuse of his public office as chairman of BPOPF and while the board was on suspension, corruptly signed a contract with Capital Management Botswana (CMB)to administer the BPOPF funds as private equity managers and in the process obtained valuable consideration for himself and his wife’s company R7 Group.

Evidence presented before court by other prosecution witnesses has revealed that Moakofhi, who was by then the acting CEO at BPOPF, is the one who organised the ceremony where Morupisi signed on behalf of the fund, confirming CMB as private equity managers.  

CMB was charged with the responsibility to identify and engage potential investors on behalf of BPOPF. ENDS