The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Karabo Gare, has appointed a special task force to investigate alleged corruption at the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB).
BAMB appointed a board recently which wants the parastatal to conduct a forensic audit into the allegations.
Information passed to this publication suggests that head of finance at BAMB has resigned with immediate effect.
It is understood that the finance boss is implicated in the corruption allegations that has rocked BAMB.
It is understood that she allegedly bought two executives motor vehicles that were leased from Avis without authority from both management and the board.
It is also understood that the task force is tracing the whereabouts of about 25 former employees who were allegedly dismissed within two months sometime last year to come and give evidence.
The new board wants a forensic audit to be conducted as soon as possible.
BAMB spokesperson Simisani Chilisa confirmed to this publication that the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security has established a task force to investigate various allegations of corruption surrounding BAMB.
“Yes, we can confirm that there is currently a task force appointed by the Honourable Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security Hon. Karabo S. Gare to investigate various allegations at BAMB,” he said.
He explained that as is the norm “when there is an investigation, the process is confidential and therefore we are not at liberty to discuss or talk about issues related to the investigation.”
He added that the investigation is on-going explaining that it is quite holistic and covers a wide range of issues.
He also confirmed the resignation of the Head of Finance who tendered in her resignation on Monday the 19th of April which BAMB accepted.
When contacted for comment Gare stated that the ministry has appointed a board that will perform its duties.
Once the board has settled, he said, it would then report to the ministry and share what as the board they have discovered.
“At the moment I would not want to jump and make unnecessary conclusions about what the board has found. I hope that they will do their job diligently and once that has happened, I will be in a better position to make a sound comment,” said the minister.
Meanwhile the newly appointed board chairperson Tally Tshekiso would not be drawn to comment on the issue save to say that he has just been appointed.
