The Board of BEDIA (Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority) has instituted a forensic investigation into allegations of ethical impropriety at the state owned body.
This follows allegations by a newspaper, the Botswana Guardian that some executives of BEDIA were, among other things, stealing investors’ ideas and implementing them as their own.
In a statement, the Board Chairman of BEDIA, Morago Ngidi, says the organization views all the allegations in serious light, hence a decision to institute an enquiry with immediate effect.
“BEDIA views these allegations in a very serious light and has decided to institute a thorough forensic audit with immediate effect. It would therefore be appreciated if all people with information on the above allegations furnished such information if approached by the investigators.”
Specifically, the allegations were that the staff at the Authority steal customers’ investment ideas; the staff of the Authority force would-be investors into partnerships and joint ventures with themselves; and the staff of the Authority force would-be investors into partnerships and joint ventures with their associates, friends or their families.
Ngidi did not, however, say which firm of auditors has been appointed to carry out the investigation.
