BYE-LAW OFFICER WAVES BYE-BYE TO NO-SHOW WITNESS
Accused of soliciting P200 bribe five years ago
A Bye-law Officer busted accepting an apparent P200 bribe in a sting operation over five years ago will soon learn his fate, with final submissions in the drawn-out matter scheduled for this Friday.
Although he has always denied any wrong-doing, 49-yearold Gabriel Setomba has been suspended ever since the 19th January, 2017 incident.
He is accused of taking a P200 pay-off in exchange for deleting a P1,000 fine issued to Maun’s Lafoxy Bar for operating after hours.
Setomba’s hopes of proving his innocence and winning his job back took a dive this week when his witness failed to turn up for court.
Ambrose Mubika, of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), successfully pleaded for the case to continue without the witness.
“The accused person is in attendance but sadly his witness is not. The investigating officer has subpoenaed the witness and I even went beyond my call of duty and spoke to Tlokweng Council Secretary and his deputy to release him but the accused person has still failed to bring the witness today!” explained Mubika, pointing out they find the said witness to be irrelevant anyway.
“At the centre of this whole argument is a P200 note which the accused collected from prosecution witness, Itumeleng Kelebetseng. It was only the two of them inside the vehicle!” stated the DPP man.
For his part, Setumba maintained it was never explained to him he was meant to find accommodation for his witness. Nevertheless, he agreed to close his
case as the court also questioned the witness’ relevance.
Setumba’s brush with the law dates back to December 2016, when, while on duty, he charged Lafoxy Bar, owned by Boseja South Councillor, Kelebetseng, for breaching the Trade Act by operating beyond trading hours.
The following day, the North West Bye-law Officer allegedly called the bar owner to set up a meeting at Lafoxy. Once there, he reportedly asked for four bottles of beer but when Kelebetseng refused to take from his stock, Setomba suggested he hand over P200 instead.
Asking for time to think on it, Kelebetseng approached the DCEC for help and between them they set up an undercover op.
Testifying in court back in February, the Investigating Officer, David Rapula Mokgathane, confirmed that on 18th January, 2017 Kelebetsemg came to their office and reported a Bye-law Officer for bribery. The sting was carried out the very next day.
If found guilty, Setomba faces a possible fine and, worst case scenario, a ten-year prison sentence - a hefty price to pay for a P200 note!