A prominent lawyer has been implicated in land theft in Maun.
But before the case could even go to trial, a key suspect allegedly committed suicide, while another suspect has been declared a prohibited immigrant.
A Maun-based lawyer, a land board officer and four other suspects last Friday appeared briefly before the Maun Magistrate Court to answer to a single count of obtaining by false pretenses.
According to the charge sheet, the accused, Lucky Sebolelo (37), a technical officer at Tawana Land board, Wetu Tshenyo (40), a site agent, Gershard Visser (38), Mavura Mavura (42), Nicky Masheko (42), and Charles Tlagae (28) between 1st of October and 31st of December, 2007 in Maun, acting jointly with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of P600 000 from Casparus Jacobus Stadler by falsely representing to Stadler that title over Ranch 0L-24 situated in Batawana tribal territory was registered in the names of Wetu Tshenyo and that Tshenyo was entitled to cede his rights over the ranch to Stadler whereas in truth the representation was false.
The case prosecutor, Samantha Mbikiwa, told Sunday Standard that the DCEC had completed its investigations and the case is ready for trial.
Although she was reluctant to respond to questions, she said that as the state has a strong case against the accused lawyer, a good number of witnesses will be brought before the magistrate to testify against the accused person.
The accused persons are expected to appear before the Maun Magistrate court on the 18th of next month.
However, the Public Relations Officer of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), Lentswe Motshoganetsi, said, “There are a good number of cases that involve land that are pending before various magistrates’ courts as well as others that are still under investigations.
He said his organization will do what it takes to drag those who happen to be involved in the illegal dealing of land to court.
He added that, as DCEC, they had confiscated land that had been acquired illegally by the suspects.
Meanwhile about 35 suspects, including officials from the Ministry of Lands and Housing, have been criminally charged for land theft and the cases are pending before the Francistown Magistrate Court.
