Botswana Football Association National Executive Committee (BFA NEC) has reinstated the suspended “unethical duo” of Tebogo ‘Tico’ Kamati and Setete Phuthego.
The two were suspended by BFA NEC over the allegations that they tempered with FIFA connect systems to register one Onkarabile Ratanang of Township Rollers. Phuthego’s suspension was indefinite while Kamati was suspended pending disciplinary action.
On Wednesday during the NEC meeting the football governing board resolved to unconditionally pardon the two for the wrongs they were alleged to have committed. The two have never been subjected to any BFA punitive committees to answer for the charges they faced.
Kamati, who is a BFA NEC member, was suspended on insinuation that he shared confidential information with third parties. It was alleged that Kamati shared some confidential information with intention to assist Rollers to have enough ammunition to defend their case against BFA.
Phuthego was initially suspended with two township Rollers officials, being Sydney Magagane and Motshegetsi Mafa. The two Rollers officials were charged and subjected to disciplinary hearing in which they won after the disciplinary committee found out they did not have any input in the suspected illegal registration.
The BFA conflict resolution committees found out that the player, Ratanang was not properly registered. The team was warned and charged for the improper registration. Popa Popa as Rollers is affectionately called paid P15 000 to put the matter to bed. Rollers spokesperson Bafana Phetho, welcomed the judgment ‘for the sake of football.’ “It is not that we are happy with the decision, but we accept it for the sake of football,” he is quoted saying last year July.
Gantsi regional committee that was suspended was also reinstated even though their term of office has elapsed.
All the suspensions by BFA were seen as a witch hunt geared towards neutralising people and deterring BFA officials from expressing themselves freely. The BFA leader denied the thinking and was quoted saying “I do not use the constitution to punish anyone.”
Letshwiti was quoted in Sunday Standard saying, “I do not victimize people who do not agree with me. I victimize people who victimize football. For that I have zero tolerance. People differing with me, I have no problem. In fact, I work better with everyone,” he said.
Among other BFA administrators who were suspended during the current regime were Segolame Ramotlhwa, Tshepo Mpoeng and Mpenzeni Sambandawe.
“Of all the past BFA regimes, none has suspended so many people. The current leadership is using the constitution to target those administrators whom they feel are opposing them. They use it to silence opposing voices, either within or outside,” one administrator said concerning the suspensions.
