South African forensic audit firm, ADM Financial Forensic Services has appointed Joseph Akoonyatse as their legal representative.
The firm, along with the Botswana Football Association (BFA) and former BFA Acting CEO Susan Lawrence are respondents in a case in which former Botswana Premier League (BPL) Chief Executive Officer (CEO, Bennett Mamelodi is seeking a forensic report authored by the self same ADM to be set aside.
ADM authored the forensic report which culminated in the former BPL CEO losing his job. Botswana Football Association (BFA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mfolo Mfolo, disclosed this week that ADM wrote to Akoonyatse on Tuesday giving him their power of attorney.
The development, according to Mfolo, means ADM will from now on be served their legal papers through Akoonyatse.
Speaking in an interview, Mfolo, who was accompanied by the BFA Legal and compliance officer Hule, said the appointment of Akoonyatse will bring to an end the much publicised story that ADM is nowhere to be found.
It has been reported over the past two months that the South African audit firm was nowhere to be seen, rendering former Botswana Premier League (BPL) CEO Bennett Mamelodi and his legal team incapable of serving them with court papers.
Following Mamelodi’s failure ‘to locate ADM,’ the former BPL CEO and his legal representative Dutch Leburu approached the courts ‘to vary an earlier order that ADM Financial Forensic Services should be served in South Africa.’
The courts then upheld the application by Mamelodi and his legal team to serve the ‘allegedly illusive’ ADM through the Sowetan Newspaper.
“We were surprised as the BFA to hear that Mamelodi and his legal representatives could not locate the forensic auditors. As the BFA, they had not informed us of such and it was surprising because we are always in contact with them,” Mfolo said.
After the court order, the BFA CEO said the association then engaged with the auditors and advised them to appoint a legal representative in Botswana.
“They then agreed to cede their power of attorney to Akoonyatse and formally wrote him a letter to such on Tuesday,” he explained.
Mfolo further added that ADM did this through an email and a letter which was couriered to Akoonyatse.
On whether the firm will take a stand when the case resumes, the BFA CEO said they have no doubt ADM will be available to defend their report.
“ADM has always maintained they are ready to defend the report if and when called to do such. We are confident they will appear in court when they are called,” he said.
Reached for comment, Mamelodi’s legal representative confirmed they had received a letter informing them of the appointment of Akoonyatse as ADM’s legal representative.
Speaking in an interview, Leburu said the appointment was a welcome move ‘as it will expedite the case.’
“Now that they have a legal representative, we can easily serve them their papers. What this means is that any communication with them will be done through Akoonyatse,” Leburu said.
