- Trio linked to Maele’s P50 000 dustbin drama
- Mabaila confirms meeting Maele
- Maele’s family fears for his life
- Morupisi rubbishes DCEC probe direction
TEFO PHEAGE
The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (DCEC) is investigating the role of Khama’s blue-eyed boy, Tshepang Mabaila, the Permanent Secretary to the President, Carter Morupisi and former Lerala Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Councillor, Victor Malete over the P50 000 that was discovered at the Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Prince Maele’s block 6 (Gaborone) home over the weekend.
The embattled Maele has already disclosed that the money was planted at his home which was undergoing renovation. In his released statement, he says he has told the DCEC that this has all hallmarks of a set-up and that he has mentioned the suspects to the DCEC.
According to leaked information from the DCEC, the first suspect is Mabaila who ‘last-week had an exhaustive discussion’ with Maele, allegedly over his corruption cases. Mabaila is said to have claimed to powerful enough to eliminate Maele’s woes in the speed of light including the dreadful DCEC cases. It is not yet clear whether Mabaila wanted to do that for a fee or on compassionate grounds but Maele has already disclosed claims that some powerful people are after his head and want to set him up for political expediency.
In an interview with this publication, Mabaila confirmed meeting Maele but dismissed the evidence before the DCEC as hogwash, “I met with Maele but we did not discuss his cases or anything related to that. We were just discussing party issues,” he said.
Asked about his views on Maele’s troubles, Mabaila said “it is very unfortunate for the party and for the Minister,” adding that no party or government wants its leader to be going through that.
Another key player whose name has been mentioned is Carter Morupisi who many still believe has political ambitions to topple Maele for the constituency. While many do not buy Maele’s stories, some posit that Maele is a victim of BDP succession political maneouverings. Asked about what he knows, Morupisi’s answers were short, “I am not joining politics, I am a civil servant,” he said. He further said that he is outside the country and knew nothing about the P50 000 drama.
Another suspect, Victor Malete was Maele’s chief campaigner and close confidant in the past. According to DCEC informants, he is said to have had a nasty fallout with Maele and is now used as part of the master-plan to oust Maele. Malete confirmed to this publication that he once worked closely with Maele and also conceded that they “are currently not in talking terms.”
He, however, denies any links to the dustbin operation and says he is now a civil servant and does not want anything to do with politics. “Nobody knows the truth about the matter, let DCEC investigate,” he concluded. Malete was at some stage suspended from BDP before his nomination as councillor.
Maele Speaks…
Maele ‘s family is said to be worried and fearing for his life. While he said he did not want to speak on the matter, he admitted that his family members have expressed their concern at the current state of affairs and feared for his life. “It is true that my family is worried and they have made that known to me. But God knows the truth and he will see me through,” he said.
He calls the nation to connect the dots and interrogate issues as and when they arise, “how stupid will I be to hide P50 000 in a dustbin outside my house,” he asked. “It doesn’t need a rocket scientist to see that the money was planted to implicate me. There are so many ways to hide money but a dust bin outside the house, please come on guys,” he charged.
He says some people are jealous of him while others do not want to see him succeed politically. Despite his scandals, Maele is said to be one of Khama’s best performing ministers. It is not clear whether he will make it in the impending cabinet reshuffle by the incoming president Mokgweetsi Masisi. He told this publication that he is on social media and knows exactly what is going on.
Maele not off the hook yet…
An officer at the DCEC informed this publication that they are now dealing with two possibilities. “There are only two possibilities to this case. Maele may be diverting attention or he may be right. That’s what we are investigating. You guys should be patient,” he said.