Sentencing day for Morupisi is this Wednesday
Former Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP) Carter Morupisi is expected to be sentenced today (Wednesday) after he was found guilty of money laundering and two counts of corruption on October 31 this year.
Court papers show that whilst employed as PSP - a public officer, who held the position of board chairperson for BPOPF - Morupisi on or about November 11, 2014, without final resolution of the board and while the board’s functions were suspended by order of the court, signed a contract with Capital Management Botswana (CMB) on behalf of BPOPF authorising pension funds for himself and his wife’s company.
On count two, of acceptance of bribe contrary to Section 26 of Corruption and Economic Crime Act, Morupisi was accused of acting together with his wife in her personal capacity and as the director of R7 Group to receive valuable consideration being a Toyota land cruiser for himself and his wife’s company.
The last count was money laundering. The particulars of the offence were that on or about May 15, 2017 Morupisi acted together with his wife and laundered P630, 988.99, which amount was proceeds of crime.
When judgement was delivered on October 31, Morupisi’s wife Pinny Morupisi was discharged and acquitted from corruption allegations on account that the judge felt that there was no evidence to point out that she knew what her husband was up to.
It has been a full month of waiting for Morupisi to know his fate as his sentencing day was postponed twice.
The latest postponement happened on the 16th of November when Morupisi’s lawyer Busang Manewe told court that they will be mitigating in an effort to lessen the severity of the sentence.
This was revealed on the day sentencing was scheduled to happen resulting in Gaborone High Court Judge Mokwadi Gabanagae postponing judgement to November 30.
When mitigating, Morupisi told court that he had served the country for 34 years as a public officer.
Manewe said court should also consider that his client is a first time offender and that there are no extreme circumstances that warrant imprisonment advising that the court’s first point of call should be a fine as the law allows for that.
Manewe explained that at 64 Morupisi’s age has advanced and that he is a pensioner. He added that Morupisi has given all his life to servicing as a public servant and was very good at his job having even been awarded a Presidential award.
He defined Morupisi as a role model who served his community diligently and even donated to them.
It remains to be seen if court will impose the harshest punishment on Morupisi by sending him to jail or they will be lenient on him.