Forensic audit to extend to BFA
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Friday September 9, 2016 14:31
The BPL office is currently undergoing forensic audit following allegations of misuse of funds, which saw the BPL office exhaust its season’s budget halfway through the campaign. Letshwiti said the forensic audit is vital so that they know what led to the association being around P10.5 million in the red. “It is not witch-hunting. I want to know what I am inheriting,” he said. He defended the decision to deploy Botswana Premier League (BPL) chief executive officer (CEO), Bennett Mamelodi saying it is the best practice worldwide. He said normally when someone is being investigated, they are either put on leave or deployed.
“I am not going to investigate you while you are still in the office. Otherwise it will compromise the integrity of the whole exercise. Similarly, I have asked the BPL board to divorce itself from the exercise so that they also do not compromise the integrity of the audit,” he said.
Letshwiti said the forensic audit is important in that he needs to establish the financial position of the association. He said the association will foot the bill for the exercise.
Letshwiti said he has already met President Ian Khama, as well as the Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng who were both concerned about the controversies.
“The President of the country’s wishes were; when are we going to stop the bickering? He said his wish is to see the Zebras being a competitive force,” Letshwiti told journalists at a media briefing on Wednesday. He said the minister on the other hand had expressed the wish to see Botswana football being turned into an industry, which will create job opportunities.
He said his committee, which recently got into the office has inherited a very volatile situation between the BPL and the mother body. He said they were competing centres of power being the BFA, the BPL board as well as issues with the BPL CEO, Mamelodi. He said he has managed to meet all the 16 clubs and that all outstanding issues between the BPL and the BFA have been resolved.
“We are now ready to start playing football and I think that is an achievement. The issue with the BPL and the CEO is being addressed with respect and love, which are key components in a winning strategy.
I am confident a solution will be derived,” Letshwiti said.
He also said they have managed to meet the sponsor, beMOBILE and there were many outstanding issues as well.
He said some of the issues were contractual while others were legal. “But I can assure you that as we speak now, the BFA and the main sponsor are all aligned,” he said.