South African forensic audit firm, ADM Financial Forensic Service will be served with a writ of summons to join Botswana Football Association on the box; in the case where former Botswana Premier league Chief Executive Officer (BPL CEO), Bennett Mamelodi is challenging his dismissal from work.
This follows a decision on Wednesday by high court judge Dr. Godfrey Radijeng granting Mamelodi permission to serve ADM Financial Forensic Service papers to come and answer for the findings in their report.
Mamelodi was dismissed from office following investigation findings by the firm, which suggested irregularities in the BPL accounting procedures. The findings went so far as to accuse Mamelodi of contributing to the BPL financial crisis. Mamelodi is challenging the findings.
While BFA has tried to shield the forensic auditors from taking the stand, the successful application means the South African forensic audit firm will join Botswana Football Association (BFA) and former acting BFA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Susan Lawrence as third respondents in the matter.
“I am happy with the progress of the case. We are dealing with the meat and it is now a matter of time before we deal with the bones. We are heading in the right direction,” Mamelodi’s lawyer Dutch Leburu said when reached for comment.
Leburu explained that they approached the court to seek the court’s permission so that they can serve the audit firm with papers for a joinder in the case as the concerned party is stationed outside Botswana.
“It is mandatory that when you deal with individuals or organizations outside the country you seek the court’s permission” Leburu said.
“We expect them to come and answer for the damaging allegations in their forensic report. We want the audit report to be set aside because we believe it is a witch hunt and procedure was not followed. They authored the forensic report they must come and defend it,” Leburu said.
“We are serving them next week and we expect them to come and defend their findings. If they don’t come the court will decide what to do” he told Sunday Standard Sports.
Leburu said they are determined to fight all the way until his client get justice.
ADM in their findings alleged that Mamelodi was responsible for unauthorised and unaccounted expenditure. The South African auditing firm is expected to produce an affidavit that will bind them to defend.
The parties are expected to appear before the court on the 15th November 2017 where trial date will be set.
