Thursday, February 13, 2025

Eight years on DCEC gets their man to face music in court

The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has finally dragged Base Segolodi who was fraudulently awarded a tender worth P40 million.

This has followed an investigation that ran over 8 years.

According to the charge sheet, between the 4th and the 11th of March 2009 in Gaborone, Segolodi knowingly and fraudulently uttered a false performance security demand and advance payment guarantee and advance payment guarantee, worth P4, 077,326.11 all belonging to Stanbic Bank of Botswana, to the Department of Water Affairs.

The charge sheet further states that the fraudulent tender purported to support the procurement in Construction of Paje ÔÇôSerowe connection to Botswana Power Cooperation Morupule Water supply tender, PR 10/03/08 (XV). 

It says that subsequently, the Department of Water Affairs awarded the accused person a tender worth P40,773,261.10.

The accused person is scheduled to appear for his next mention next month and he is represented by  Unoda Mark of Mark and Bahuma Attorneys while Kgomoitsile Tirelo represent the State.

A female banker is also expected to be charged alongside Segolodi.

DCEC spokesperson Nlayidzi Gambule explained that “is absolutely true that in this particular case it took more than eight years to arraign the accused person and this is one of those rare cases that takes such a long time.”

Gambule explained that there are several reasons that sometime contribute to delays for cases to be prosecuted.

“Firstly it is very important that the public should understand that investigations relating to corruption cases are often complex and sophisticated. Therefore it takes ample time when investigating such cases so that at the end of the day the culprit appears before the court,” he said.

Gambule added that “investigators have to follow all the possible leads and follow the paper trail and communication which is often a difficult job to do.”

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