Resilient attorney Dutch Leburu still wants the Botswana Football Association (BFA) to come clean in his quest to clear his client, suspended Botswana Premier league Chief Executive Officer (BPL CEO), Bennett Mamelodi’s name.
Now he is demanding that the BFA hand over the results of the forensic audit that was instigated against Mamelodi. The demand by Leburu comes after his client; Mamelodi was slapped with charges emanating from findings of the forensic audit, which is coming out in drips and drabs.
He wants the audit availed so that his client will be able to answer fully and sleep peacefully.
Mamelodi was furnished with charges of misconduct towards the end of last month (reported in the media without his knowledge) and was expected to have responded to the charges the same day he got the charge sheet. Mamelodi was to show cause why disciplinary action could not be taken against the “accusations” he is supposedly facing.
The audit report that has gone viral on media has not been adopted by the BFA National Executive Committee (NEC) nor signed by the BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti.
Mamelodi was suspended pending the findings of the forensic audit
Contacted for comment Leburu did not want to say much save to say: “We are waiting for them to give us the report. We will act after receiving the report.”
He reasoned that “a meaningful response to the charges cannot be made without the forensic report hence we want them to avail the report”.
Meanwhile, the BFA has apologised to the suspended BPL CEO for the leaked audit report to some newspapers.
“We are regretfully aware that the forensic audit report has been leaked to the media (reported in two newspapers). This is unfortunate and steps are being taken to identify and address the leak. In the meantime, however, we apologise to you for the undue inconvenience this has caused you and your family,” BFA acting Chief executive officer, Susan Lawrence wrote to Mamelodi.
The leak came about when the BFA was and is still reluctant to vail the report to Mamelodi
Though the draft audit has been leaked to the press it has emerged that the audit has not been adopted by the BFA NEC and it has never been presented to the NEC.
Information gathered by this publication also reveal that the constitutionally competent authority being the BFA audit and compliance committee which was appointed in August 2016 have not participated in forensic audit report nor have the members of the committee has sight of the reports despite it being their constitutional mandate to see such process. According to the BFA constitution, article 49.1 The Audit and compliance Committee shall ensure the completeness and reliability of the financial accounting and review the financial statements, the consolidated financial statement and external auditors report.
