A former Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Central Committee member and now nominated councilor at the North West District Council; Abel Molelo is scheduled to appear before a Maun Magistrates court to answer to charges of assault.
This week, Officer Commanding number five district Senior Superintendent Chabaesele Kesupetswe confirmed that they are investigating an assault case by Molelo after receiving a complaint on February 17th. He added that the outcome of their investigations will determine if Molelo has a case to answer.
Molelo is accused of insulting and physically attacking a female accounts officer at Maun Administrative Authority. The incident was later reported to the office of the Assistant Council Secretary who later called the police. However, the police reportedly arrived after Molelo had left.
“We still do not know what could have offended the councillor. All we know is that he came to the accounts office to retire a long standing imprest which he failed to retire in August 2015 as expected. But when he came last week after close to six months, his receipts showed some items which were not covered by the imprest. When cautioned he became aggressive and ultimately wanted to attack the unsuspecting woman who is still traumatized as we speak”, said one witness.
Meanwhile a saving gram from the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government passed to The Telegraph on Monday suggests that in occasions whereby a councillor travels on official duty within Botswana, he/she is entitled to a payment of imprest which shall be retired to treasury or accounted for in accordance with Financial Instructions and Procedures immediately upon return. It also states that where a councillor spends a night or a period of 24 hrs away from ward on official travel in Botswana, he/she is entitled to subsistence allowance at a rate applicable to public officers.
