16 Sep 2026

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) president Mpho Balopi and seven co-accused were on Wednesday granted bail over seven criminal charges.

They are expected to return to court on October 28.

The accused appeared before the Broadhurst Regional Magistrates Court today for arraignment over seven criminal charges arising from transactions involving the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA).

The charges comprise two counts of fraud, one count of attempting to obtain by false pretence and four counts of money laundering.

The co-accused are Native Outdoor (Pty) Ltd, Native Impressions (Pty) Ltd, Stess Engineering (Pty) Ltd, Thomas Sidney Sharpe, Keysource (Pty) Ltd, Tshepiso Innocent Makgoeng and Duncan Mothusi Gaolebogwe.

According to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), the fraud charges relate to allegations that in February 2023, the accused defrauded CEDA in connection with a project-specific loan, which was paid but whose intended project was allegedly not implemented.

The State further alleges that in December 2023, some of the accused attempted to obtain P1,399,810.56 from CEDA by submitting fraudulent documents as proof of payment for services allegedly rendered.

The four money laundering charges relate to allegations that the accused conducted financial transactions involving funds allegedly obtained from CEDA, with investigators alleging that the transactions were intended to conceal, disguise or transfer proceeds of crime.

The charges are brought under Section 342A of the Penal Code for fraud, Section 389 read with Section 308 for attempting to obtain by false pretences, and Section 47(1)(b) of the Proceeds and Instruments of Crime Act for money laundering. ENDS