- Said to have failed to declare the money to NYEC
- NYEC said to demand him to pay the money
- Nkgakile allegedly sues for defamation
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
FRANCISTOWN: A leaked recording has revealed that Botswana Democratic Party Youth League (BDPYL) members are currently embroiled in a tiff over a P27 000 donation that their Treasurer Bruce Nkgakile allegedly failed to declare and put it to personal use.
This emerged when, last week, Nkgakile slapped NYEC additional member Collen Mochotlhi with a letter of demand seeking P250 000 for alleged defamatory statements made in a Whatsapp group called BDP NYEC 2017. In the letter of demand written to Mochotlhi, Nkgakile’s lawyer Tumelo Tshweneetsile from Tafa and Company stated that “Our client informs and advices that on the 24th of April you made defamatory statement in an electronic social platform being Whatsapp group named BDP NYEC 2017, to the effect that the aforementioned client was a thief in that he stole monies belonging to the council and used it for his own personal gain without due and lawful authority.”Nkgakile’s Lawyer states that Mochotlhi’s statement was defamatory and made with intention to defame Nkgakile.
A leaked recording The Botswana Gazette is in possession of reveals a confrontation between people purported to be Nkgakile and Mochotlhi arguing about an alleged P27 000 donation. The individual purported to be Mochotlhi can be heard charging that even if Nkgakile can sue him he wants the money. “I stand by my words that obtaining the money from the donor and failing to declare it to the committee is theft, therefore you are a thief. We have a Whatsapp group which you could have declared that P27 000 but you failed. This is an indication that you wanted to use that money for your personal gain. You are a thief,” blasted the individual in the recording.
The individual added that Nkgakile was only trying to shift attention by threatening him with a letter of demand claiming defamation. “You are a thief and even if you can sue we want that money you stole,” stressed an angry sounding individual.
An individual purported to be Nkgakile can be heard pleading and saying the donor alleged to have provided the money wants the money returned. “The Donor wants me to return the money because he does not want to be involved in our issue, therefore I want to return this money,” said the individual.
In the end the individual purported to be Nkgakile promised to pay back the money after the one purported to be Mochotlhi told him that it was unprocedural to return the money to the donor.
While Nkgakile was unreachable on his mobile phone, Mochotlhi was not in a position to comment. “It is difficult to discuss the issue with a third party because we have a procedure that we follow,” he insisted.
As for receiving the letter of demand from Nkgakile’s lawyers, Mochotlhi said he only learnt about the issue from the grapevine.