SONNY SERITE
Two lawyers and a conveyance secretary were arrested last week Thursday following a swoop by police detectives at three Gaborone law firms in a case where an 88-year-old man was defrauded of P4.9 million.
The legal practitioners, Bhekimpilo Moyo of Moyo Legal Practice, Letlhogonolo Makgane of Senamela Sekga Attorneys and Motlalepula Molefe, a conveyancing secretary at Ramalepa Attorneys were arrested together with other two suspects, Mooketsi Billy Molefe, a 62-year-old Office Manager at Sable Engineering and Bhekizwe Nkomazana.
It is alleged that Makgane and Moyo connived with Nkomazana and defrauded 88-year-old Solomon Tlhapane of P 4.9miliion. A team of police detectives led by Detective Senior Superintendent Sergeant Marapo pounced on the suspects at their work places and charged them with an array of offences including “theft common”, official corruption, giving false information in application for registration of Botswana national identity card (Omang) and obtaining by false pretences. Nkomazana, a 35-year-old Zimbabwean national was first arrested on November 19, 2016 together with other seven suspects in the matter.
According to police documents leaked to the Botswana Gazette, Makgane is also accused of assisting Mooketsi Molefe and Nkomazana to deposit P200 000 from the money which they fraudulently obtained from the now deceased Solomon Tlhapane into Motlalepula Molefe’s bank account held at First National Bank, Mall branch.
Upon arrest, Motlalepula and Mooketsi are said to have indicated that they were never appointed as agents by Tlhapane. A forged title deed for the farm of the late Tlhapane, situated at Ruele/Ramosesane which was sold by Bhekizwe for P600 000 was found to have been prepared at Moyo Legal Practices.
The accused persons are to appear for mention tomorrow (Wednesday) at Extension 2 Magistrate in Gaborone, where more suspects in the matter are expected to be arraigned. Contacted for comment Monday evening, the Law Society of Botswana Chairperson Kgalalelo Monthe said he was not aware of the case but mentioned that if indeed there is such a case then it is of interest to them as the law society and that they will take keen interest in it.