But Mokhethi digs her heels in and accuses Saleshando of engaging in cheap politics
TEFO PHEAGE
The Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Annah Mokgethi has told Parliament that she is not refusing to render an account of a dead man’s estate as claimed. The minister, who is also the MP for Gaborone Bonnington North, has a matter before court that involves the extent and value of the estate of a deceased man who was a client of hers.
The matter reached Parliament this week where the Leader of the Opposition, Dumelang Saleshando, denigrated her for sitting comfortably in the House and in her cabinet position while a family is in anguish somewhere because they cannot distribute their parent’s estate for the reason that Mokgethi is refusing to render it to them as its rightful owners.
As he excoriated Mokgethi, Saleshando – who is also the MP for Maun West – attacked President Mokgweetsi Masisi for turning a blind eye and a deaf ear on the Mokgethi matter and its associated court judgments so far.
However, Mokgethi stood up in her own defence and accused Saleshando of engaging in cheap politics. “That I am refusing to render the estate inventory is not true,” she said. “The case is still before the court.”
When Mokgethi fiercely protested that she was refusing to render an account of the estate, Saleshando quoted from a judgment of the Court of Appeal that she had “fought tooth and nail” when asked to render an inventory of the estate.
In court, Mokgethi’s argument that a niece of the deceased, Masenya, lacks locus standi has failed. Even so, she dug her heels in in Parliament on Monday this week. “I did not refuse, as Saleshando is saying,” she said. “I have in fact complied, and where there have been delays it had to be under the advice of the CoA.”
Whereupon the Speaker, Phandu Skelemani, interjected that the Leader of the Opposition was just reading from a judgment before him. Saleshando concluded by saying he would table the matter before Parliament in the course of time.
Mokgethi is set for a disciplinary hearing before the Law Society of Botswana (LSB) following the recent Court of Appeal (CoA) judgment that she should account for the late Abdul Joseph’s estate.
Mokgethi, who is a lawyer by profession, will be defending herself against the LSB disciplinary committee on a misconduct charge. LSB executive secretary, Tebogo Moipolai Tuesday this week said: “We have forwarded the judgment from the Court of Appeal to the disciplinary hearing committee which will decide whether or not to charge Mokgethi with misconduct. I cannot make an assumption on the charges that Mokgethi will face or what the disciplinary hearing will rule regarding the judgment.”