Former Permanent Secretary to the President Carter Morupisi has distanced himself from any corruption links with Capital Management Botswana (CMB) and Mono Squad Company (SA) which resulted in the purchase of a land cruiser.
Morupisi is accused of bribery and money laundering where he is accused of benefiting from proceeds of crime to purchase a Land cruiser.
Morupisi has tendered his FNBB Account Number 607 111 25787 to court as an effort to show the court that his source of income was enough to enable him to purchase the controversial Land Cruiser.
He tendered his bank statements from 27th February 2016 to 2nd March 2020 as evidence that indeed he used his retirement packages to corroborate the 16 installment transactions made as part of sales agreement of the Land Cruiser to Mono Squad services.
He said he used his Debswana director’s fees, Defence Council setting allowance and Judiciary setting allowances as amongst the 9 setting allowances as source of income to purchase the vehicle.
When appearing before High court judge Chris Gabanagae, Morupisi denied participating in a P500 million tender which was awarded to CMB.
When giving evidence in chief and in the form of unsworn testimony, Morupisi denied being part of the Finance and Investment Committee that examined the tender which was advised in the form of Request for Quotation (RFQ).
He said at the time an agreement between Botswana Public Officers and Pension Fund (BPOPF) and CMB was reached, he was attending a cabinet meeting which was Chaired by former President Ian Khama.
On the Previous hearing, Judge Gabanagae ruled that Morupisi has a case to answer in relation to the manner in which the state suspects that his land cruiser was bought from proceeds of crime.
When defending himself by giving evidence in chief, Morupisi denied knowing directors of Mono Squad and CMB. He said the state even lied saying he signed the contract when was Director of DPSM while in fact he was PSP.
“When I signed the contract, I was from a cabinet meeting and there was never a signing ceremony like the state put it. I have never been any principal of approving a tender or coming to the Board to convince them for a final approval,“ said Morupisi.
According to court records, Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) investigating officers who have been chasing the trail of the BPOPF funds managed by CMB have only been able to track down P 2, 306,627.10 of the total P 447 million invested by CMB on behalf of BPOPF.
From the more than P200 million that has not been accounted for slightly more than R630, 388.99 was allegedly spent on a Gold Land Cruiser for Morupisi’s wife, Piny (R7 Company).
