Botswana Football Association (BFA) has parted ways with its erstwhile suspended Finance Officer and former acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Susan Lawrence.
While the association is still cagey with details regarding its alleged sacking of Lawrence, the latter has however confirmed she has indeed left the employ of the BFA.
Lawrence and by extension the BFA, came under severe criticism for failing to detect financial fraud that left the cash strapped association saddled with close to half a million pula debt to various service providers.
Whereas Lawrence insists she voluntarily parted ways with the BFA, some sources close to the association have alleged that the former financial officer was shown the door.
It is alleged that Lawrence’s sacking follows accusations levelled towards her person by fraud accused former BFA employees Odirile Daka and Stephen Maleka, who facing multiple charges of siphoning monies from the cash trapped association.
Gathered information from sources alleges that the BFA is of the view that Lawrence neglected her role during her spate as the Acting CEO hence the looting of the association’s coffers.
‘’Lawrence was suspended pending investigations in the matter and it emerged that she was not involved in any misappropriation of funds but charged with negligence as she was the one in charge of proceedings at the association. She has since parted ways with the BFA last month and has no case to answer,” sources told Sunday Standard.
Reached to comment on the matter, Lawrence told Sunday Standard that she has since parted ways with the local football mother body. However, the long serving finance officer said she voluntarily resigned from the association after serving for 18 years.
‘’I have never been implicated in any of the corrupt practices at the association. It was just unfortunate that the duo that was working under my supervision were busted for allegedly defrauding the association,” she explained.
Quizzed on whether her departure from the association had anything to do with the alleged accusations or that she had neglected her duties, Lawrence had this to say;
“I am clean and it should be understood that I voluntarily resigned due to my health and needed to rest after serving my part for football after almost two decades as a football agent. Honestly local football is strenuous with its unending politics so I decided to rest from football matters,” she told Sunday Standard.
Efforts to draw comments from the BFA went futile as the BFA CEO Mfolo Mfolo shied away from commenting on the matter. ‘’This is a matter that cannot be discussed with the media. The employment act does not allow for such to be discussed in public and it is unfortunate that we cannot comment further,” shortly said Mfolo.
