Sunday, February 9, 2025

Former BPOPF CEO sues for millions

Former Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund Chief Executive Officer Ephraim Letebele has filed a law suit against his former employer in the Industrial Court.

Letebele seeks a reinstatement to his former position retrospectively to the date of termination of his contract with salary packages or alternatively payment of P2, 7 million as well as legal costs.

In his documents filed and prepared by Gosego Lekgowe of Morolong and Associates, Letebele has submitted that he was informed of the decision to terminate his employment contract with the organisation by a letter from the chairperson on 14 February, 2013 under the pretext that the Board had resolved to dismiss him for amongst other reasons for having failed to implement decisions by BPOPF regarding management of an agreement with Mascom Wireless Botswana. It is understood that Letebele had failed to implement asset consultant contract of Novare Assert Consultants.

He was at some point called upon to answer allegations against him which he found unfounded and baseless. Despite his evidence, Letebele was dismissed from employment on grounds that his representation was unsatisfactory and that the relationship between him and the organisation had broken down irretrievably which warranted his dismissal.

Through his lawyers, Letebele submits that BPOFP failed to take his representation into consideration and that even before he was called to show cause why his employment should not be terminated its chairperson had decided his fate adding that his letter to him was therefore just a formality.

In accordance with his contract of employment, any decision for his dismissal from work must be made by the Board of Trustees and no other body.

On the issue of a closed door meeting held on 13 February, 2013 where a decision was allegedly made to dismiss him, he submitted that he was not given notice of such a meeting as he was entitled to it.

Letebele and his lawyers indicate that since rules and guidelines of dismissal were not followed, it follows that the termination of his contract of employment is invalid or in breach of his contract of employment for the reasons that the decision does not comply with the rules of the organisation.

RELATED STORIES

Read this week's paper