The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime is probing a share certificate scam that has defrauded many people of millions of pula.
A Zimbabwean national is at the center of the DCEC investigations and has appeared before the magistrate court.
DCEC investigations revealed that the accused person, Patrick Dowera, of Zimbabwean origin, on the 20th March 2009 in Gaborone, fraudulently uttered a false Notice of Issue of Shares to an employee of Stanbic Bank Botswana, purporting to be a shareholder in Landscape Decorators Botswana (Pty) Ltd when he knew that he was not a shareholder.
It is further alleged that Dowera allegedly uttered a false copy of the Company’s register of directors and secretaries and a share certificate to the First National Bank Botswana, purporting to be a Director (of Botswana origin) and a shareholder in Landscape Decorators Botswana (Pty) Ltd, when in fact and in truth he knew he was neither a Motswana nor a director or shareholder of the said company
In another separate matter, the DCEC allegedly accuses Dowera of fraudulently wining tenders worth millions.
Speaking with The Sunday Standard the Public Relations officer of DCEC, Lentswe Motshoganetsi, said, “The DCEC has arrested a Zimbabwean national in-connection with the matter.”
He added that investigations are still ongoing to establish the exact amount stolen.
Motshoganetsi said the DCEC is also investigating another case in which Dowera has been awarded fraudulent tenders that are estimated to have cost the government millions.
“I am not in a position to say the exact amount of money that might be involved in the alleged tenders because investigations are still ongoing,” he said.
