Following the alleged disappearance of case records of a convicted and formerly Francistown-based lawyer, Lyndon Mothusi, the minister of Justice, Defense and Security, Ramadeluka Seretse, has called for a full investigation on how the records went missing.
The allegation emerged recently during Mothusi’s appeal at the Lobatse High court.
“As the minister, I cannot condone a situation whereby courts records disappear,” said Seretse.
The Registrar and Master of the High Court, Godfrey Mthomiwa, said, “I cannot comment on the matter as yet because the case is still before court.”
He acknowledged that there were some case records that went missing.
Mthomiwa said his department had completed its computerization, known as Case Records Management System, but they are still left with the scanning of live records.
He said once the scanning process is completed it will be difficult for the records to either get stolen or go missing.
“I am not yet sure when the scanning process will be completed because the department still has a shortage of manpower as well as insufficient funds,” he said.
Mothusi was convicted of financial crimes involving fraud and money laundering.
It is alleged the crimes were carried out between October 2003 and January 2004 when he and another lawyer, Herbert Sikhakhane, were accused of defrauding the Botswana government of around P1 million, using falsified cheques and fictitious companies and individuals.
