A suspected British fugitive who has been on the run for more than five months was arrested upon his arrival at the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport over the weekend.
Walter Anderson, 34, a former Quantity Surveyor at Stefanuti Stocks Botswana Building Company, is accused of stealing a sum of P2 million from his employer and then skipping the country.
It is understood that a few days after he allegedly transferred the money electronically he resigned and went to Azerbaijan in Eastern Europe where he is currently employed.
It is reported that some of the money was transferred into different accounts overseas.
Stocks Botswana is said to have reported the matter to the police who were tracing the suspect.
Last week, the police received a tip off that the accused person would be flying into Botswana on Saturday and police arrested him upon arrival.
The case prosecutor, Lesedi Seloka, told the Court that the Anderson was arrested on Saturday at the Sir Seretse Khama International while in transit to Europe.
He added that Anderson should be remanded in custody because the investigations have just commenced and he is a flight risk since he does not have any permanent residence in Botswana.
On Monday, Anderson appeared briefly before the Broadhurst Magistrate Court on two criminal counts of theft.
According to the charge sheet, Anderson on the 21st of February this year stole about P1, 001, 818, 85 by unlawfully transferring the money from Sterlianuti Stocks Botswana Building Company into his personal bank account at First National Bank.
On the second count, the State alleges that Anderson, on the 29th of this year, stole a sum of P1, 268, 762, 45 and deposited it into his business account at FNB.
Detective Superintendent Sergeant Maropo of Broadhurst Police told The Telegraph that though the investigations are still at infancy stage, part of the stolen money will be recovered while another sum of money has been allegedly transferred outside the country.
“We are busy tracing the whereabouts of the missing money but we are hopeful that we will be able to trace where the accused person has deposited the money,” he said.
Anderson is remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear before court next week Friday when he is expected to take a plea.
