The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) last week Friday confiscated a double cab land cruiser belonging to Permanent Secretary to the President Carter Morupisi and his wife as investigations into his alleged conflict of interest in the embattled Capital Management Botswana (CMB) opened a new front
In an interview with The Telegraph on Monday evening, Morupisi explained that the vehicle in question belongs to his wife. According to Morupisi, the vehicle was purchased from a company in South Africa.
“It is a second hand land cruiser. It was solely bought for the purpose of being used in the running of her business. We are still servicing payment for that company,” said Morupisi.
The DCEC, Morupisi said, impounded the car as part of their investigations relating to his alleged conflict of interest in CMB.
“They want to establish if the vehicle is not linked to issues relating CMB. It is only connected to me because it was bought for Mrs Morupisi’s business which is running in my home village,” said Morupisi.
He added that “as we speak the vehicle is with the DCEC. I gave them documentation showing how we are paying for the vehicle.”
Morupisi said there were people who were hell-bent on tarnishing his image. “They are trying to get at me by coming up with all sorts of stories,” he said.
A source at DCEC said the car had been bought from Durban, South Africa by an executive at CMB.
The DCEC is currently probing Morupisi’s alleged questionable relationship with CMB which is also embroiled in a half a billion pula legal battle with the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF).
At a meeting held at Cresta lodge, the BPOPF resolved to report Morupisi who is the fund’s Chairman to the DCEC following allegations that he has a beneficial interest through CEO Okaile in CMB.”
The allegations of Morupisi’s alleged corrupt relationship with CMB came to light in a letter to BOPPF by former Kgori Capital Managing Director Bakang Seretse which states in part “we have been advised by (name withheld) that that chairman of the Fund has a beneficial interest through CEO Okaile Rapula in CMB and that he has held several meetings with them. While we cannot independently vouch for this, we thought it was important to bring it to your attaint to avoid issues of potential conflict of interest. The allegations were also made by BPOPF Chief Executive Officer Boitumelo Molefe in a letter to the Chairperson of the Fund’s Human Resources and Remuneration Committee Topias Marenga last year.
“I have been made aware of meetings between the Chairman (Morupisi) and CMB Capital in which my dismissal was discussed. Apparently the meetings emanate from the concerns regarding the current investigations related to CMB Capital,” she said. DCEC spokesperson Phakamile Kraai declined to comment on the matter saying DCEC does not discuss its investigations with the media.
