Outgoing Gaborone Regional Magistrate Lot Moroka on Monday convicted Joseph Malope Matome, Garvas Nchindo and the Nchindo family businesses of Galconda and Tourism Development Consortium on all the nine counts of fraud and corruption.
The two have been remanded in custody pending their sentencing on the 19th of October.
Before their sentencing, one of their lawyers, Parks Tafa, had submitted that their bail be extended on grounds that they have been regularly attending Court proceedings without fail since the beginning of the case more than three years ago.
Tafa had also suggested that the date for mitigation be set for 27 October.
While State prosecutor, Kgosi Ngakayagae, did not object, Moroka ruled that out, saying that since the two had been convicted they are now convicts and should be remanded in accordance with the law on such matters.
After Moroka’s decision, Ngakayagae stood up and submitted that they should be subjected to fingerprinting in order to check whether they did not have previous offences.
The two convicted men were then driven away in a police bus after photo journalists had had a field day photographing them.
Matome is the former Group Secretary of Debswana Mining Company and a right hand man of the late Debswana MD, Louis Nchindo.
Garvas is the late Nchindo’s son.
Their charges centered on Plot 55720, situated in Gaborone North, which the state says was obtained fraudulently as former President Festus Mogae and his Cabinet were misled into believing the land was part of Debswana efforts to help government diversify the economy through venturing into tourism.
