- Files finally taken into court custody after tussle between DIS, AG, Katlholo’s attorneys
- Files allegedly contain Seleka Springs and DISS officials’ cases
- Sheriff confirms handing over files to court
LETLHOGILE MPUANG
Corruption investigation files that have been barricaded for over a month in the office of suspended Director General of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (DCEC), Tymon Katlholo, have finally been handed over to the Registrar of the High Court for safe keeping, Deputy Sheriff Onkgopotse Motlhagodi has confirmed.
Motlhagodi told The Gazette briefly on Tuesday evening that the files had been safely placed into court custody. “We have executed the order,” he said. “The files have been handed over to the court.”
On Friday last week, Justice Reuben Lekorwe of Lobatse High Court directed that the DCEC investigation files be handed over to the Registrar for safekeeping. The judgement said Katlholo had the necessary locus standi to pursue the matter in his personal capacity and as the Director General of DCEC.
While Motlhagodi could not be drawn into discussing any further details, The Botswana Gazette is reliably informed that the files had been kept in a safe in Katlholo’s office. Some of the files that were collected are believed to contain ongoing corruption investigations into Seleka Springs, some senior government officials, as well as a number of DISS officials.
“We do not have any DCEC files” – Attorneys
Meanwhile, Katlholo’s attorneys, Monthe Marumo, have denied being in possession of any DCEC files. Immediately after his appointment as Acting Director General, Tshepho Pilane on Thursday last week terminated the services of the law firm in the case against DISS.
Yesterday the DCEC wrote to the law firm demanding that they hand over any documentation that they were in possession of that belonged to the DCEC. “We do not have any DCEC documents,” Managing Partner at Monthe Marumo, Dutch Leburu, said in an interview. “The only thing we had were legal documents, which we have submitted to the court.”
He also confirmed that the firm was acting for Katlholo in his personal capacity.