The failure by Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) chairman, Daniel 'DK' Kwelagobe to come to the defence of Gomolemo Motswaledi (pictured) proved fatal to the case of the suspended BDP secretary general before the disciplinary committee (DC).In its judgement, the DC indicated that it found Motswaledi guilty of undermining President Ian Khama because Kwelagobe did not make an appearance to defend him. The DC slapped a five-year ban on Motswaledi who was accused of bringing the name of the BDP into disrepute by releasing a statement chastising Collins Newman law firm, which had issued a press release to defend Khama against claims of dictatorship in running the party. The lawyers released a statement around mid-August to the effect that the president was right to appoint sub-committees of the party without consultations.
Motswaledi criticised the lawyers for acting outside of their mandate. In the following weeks Khama came out saying he had given the lawyers permission and thus subsequently suspended Motswaledi for 60 days. This issue remained central to the suspension of Motswaledi. In his defence, he argued that there is no way he could have known about the permission granted the lawyers by Khama. Motswaledi has maintained this as his defence.
Meanwhile, both Khama and Parks Tafa of Collins Newman maintained that Motswaledi must have known about the permission because Tafa had spoken to Kwelagobe about the matter.
The DC said in the judgement that the whole issue came down to the word of Tafa against that of Motswaledi. Tafa is said to have indicated that he had spoken to the BDP chairman about the statement released by the lawyers prior to Motswaledi’s statement on the lawyers’ action. “Tafa said he told Kwelagobe, to whom Motswaledi is administratively answerable, that the press release was prepared upon instructions of (Khama) in response… “The committee maintains that since Kwelagobe was not around to either confirm or deny what Tafa said, they would have to agree with Tafa and conclude that Motswaledi indeed knew about this fact.
“Kwelagobe, to whom Motswaledi is administratively answerable, was not called by the defence as a witness and therefore Tafa’s evidence in this regard stands unchallenged and is accepted,” the DC said. Motswaledi was subsequently given five years in the political wilderness.
Mmegi Online
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