A multi-million pula house that has been a safe haven for criminals after its Chinese owner fled the country three years ago has been forfeited by Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC).
Former China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) General Manager, Xiaming Wang reportedly skipped the country after he was charged with attempting to bribe former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Science and Technology, Carter Murupisi, with a cash amount of P250 000.
DCEC spokesperson Nlayidzi Gambule said “it is true the Central Government has handed us a multimillion house that has been forfeited by the state about three years ago.”
He explained that the DCEC management is still discussing how it can make use of the house.
“We will not auction the property because it can be used in so many ways even though a decision has not yet been reached but the property can either be turned into accommodation or storage facility as the two are a major challenge within the agency,” he said.
He added that “currently our storage facility’s space is becoming limited by the day as well as accommodation facility for our employees at large.”
Gambule said after the resolution has been reached, renovation of the property will then “resume but that it will depend on the availability of funds.”
He stated that this is the first time that DCEC has been given such a huge property by state after the suspect failed to honour his bail condition that resulted in the state forfeiting the house.
Gambule said it unfortunate that the house appears to have been vandalized by unknown culprits as a number of things are missing including electrical cables.
Gambule indicated that a private security company has been engaged to guard the house on twenty-four hour basis to prevent ill acts as well as vandalism.
He stated that DCEC is optimistic that one day the suspect will be brought to Botswana and continue with the trail where he left off as Interpol is busy tracing his whereabouts.
Sometime around 2012 Village Magistrate Court Chief Magistrate Oahile Mokibe  issued a warrant of arrest against Wan who is believed to have skipped the country after he was charged with attempting to bribe Morupisi, with a cash amount of P250 000.
The Chinese national is suspected to be hiding somewhere in neighbouring Zambia where he might be working for one of the biggest construction companies there as Zambia is experiencing a construction boom.