10 Mar 2024

Maun High Court judge, Justice Bugalo Maripe, has set June 14 for a ruling in a case which Okavango Kopano Community Trust (OKMCT) board members are refusing their group members a special general meeting to dissolve the current board.

This came after the state and defence lawyers told court that they had not managed to reach common ground on the date for the special general meeting to be held.

Prosecutor, Mr Lawrence Leche, explained before Justice Maripe on Wednesday (06 March) that convening a meeting between the two parties had not been possible due to procedural irregularities.

“OKMCT board members are not refusing a meeting with the member community rather we want the respondents to formally request that special meeting through a written letter to the chairperson who will respond with the date of when the meeting will be held,” he said.

For his part, defence attorney Mr Lumbile Wanano, adhered to Justice Maripe’s request for him to draft a letter to the board members that was then presented in court and accepted.

“We want the meeting to be held within seven days as board members have been derailing the meeting for a long time now and the agenda of the special meeting cannot be mixed with the agenda for annual general meeting (AGM) as suggested since the board members do not form a quorum to even hold the AGM,” he said.

Since May 2023, a group of members within the Okavango Kopano Community Trust has been pushing for a special general meeting to address some grievances and seek the removal of current board members. ENDS