MONEY GRAB
Ugly fight for Dr Chiepe’s fortune spoils 100th birthday celebrations
A DAY after the nation united to celebrate the iconic former politician and minister, Dr Gaositwe Chiepe’s 100th birthday, her family skeletons came tumbling out of the closet as an ugly fight for her property began to unfold in the public domain.
A leaked letter written by Dr Chiepe’s legally-adopted daughter, Violet Asem, and nephew, Monametsi Peter Chiepe, which was on Wednesday circulating on social media, indicated that the two had discovered a carte blanche power of attorney illegally obtained by one Sefalana Martha Modisi from Dr Chiepe, without her knowledge of its true nature, that has been used to usurp full control of the centenarian’s finances.
In a brief interview on Wednesday, Asem confirmed that the letter was authentic but refused to comment further on the matter because it was “still internal and being handled by the family attorneys”.
According to the explosive letter, which paints a picture of a corrupt duo, a nephew and niece who had colluded to rob Dr Chiepe in a sophisticated manner, Modisi was alleged to have secretly taken and transferred Dr Chiepe’s property to herself or her companies without Dr Chiepe’s knowledge.
These properties involve house number 2528 in Extension 9, Gaborone and house number 15571, in Extension 44, Gaborone.
The daughter and nephew duo claim to have evidence that Modisi has for decades used Dr Chiepe’s assets to continuously raise a significant number of loans for herself or her companies or those in which she has interest. Some of these were serviced using Dr Chiepe’s finances and rental income that was due to her.
They further allege that another suspect, Botshabelo Bagwasi, has played a significant part in the convoluted set of mechanisms at the early stages relating to house number 2528, which ultimately empowered and emboldened Modisi to attain control and effectively give herself the house.
When Monametsi and Asem confronted Modisi and Bagwasi, the alleged partners in crime filed an urgent application through their attorney, Daphne Briscoe, before Lobatse High Court demanding that Dr Chiepe be certified mentally unsound and a curator appointed to administer her affairs as a de facto retard incapable of participating in the recovery of her misappropriated assets.
“We want Modisi to account for all transactions she made in Dr Chiepe’s various accounts: Current, Call and other, at least two known accounts. Modisi to account for all loans acquired from ABSA and using plot no: 2528 Ext 9 and plot no 15571, extension 44, as collateral. Modisi to account for all loans acquired from Standard Chartered Bank and using plot no: 2528 Ext 9 and plot no: 15571 as collateral. Modisi to account for the financial transactions pertaining to Dr Chiepe’s BBS portfolio since she moved it from BBS to Black Thread Capital among others,” reads the letter in part.
Monametsi and Asem further stated in the letter that, “It is demanded herein that Modisi and Bagwasi, avail themselves to Advocate Sidney Pilane, within the next seven (7) calendar days to conclude written and signed agreements as to how and when ownership of Extension 9 and extension 44 houses be returned to Dr Chiepe.”
When reached for comment, the accused duo’s lawyer, Briscoe, said, “I have consulted my clients, Bagwasi and Modisi, regarding the untrue and defamatory allegations made in the letter to which you refer. My client will be taking legal action. Furthermore, Violet Asem is niece to Dr Chiepe, not a daughter.”