BUTALE TO FACE THE MUSIC
Someone wants to destroy me and that person won’t succeed - Butale
THE embattled Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) President, Biggie Butale, who was suspended a year ago for alleged sexual misconduct, has been summoned for a disciplinary hearing on the 4th of November.
Butale had protested the decision by the Disciplinary Committee and sometime this year the National Executive Committee admitted him back into the leadership body but as an ordinary member.
The founding President of the BPF was slapped with the suspension after he allegedly sexually harassed a young female party cadre who is a student at BUAN university.
The other offence stated was that on the 15th of May, 2021 he allegedly convened a meeting aimed at paralysing, causing division and breaking up the BPF at a farm near Mahalapye, a farm suspected to belong to Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) member, One Molebatsi.
On this second count, Butale stands accused of going to media houses to disparage and taint the party name by alleging that he had been set up and that some tribalistic party members were plotting to unseat him because he was not a Mongwato.
Meanwhile, the BPF, in a letter from the Disciplinary Committee dated October 25th 2022, has stated thus; “We laid out the charges to you of misconduct and alleged sexual misconduct levelled against you as well as putting the party and its name into disrepute, charges which you failed to respond to after a stipulated time period of 7 days. We therefore resolved to call you for a disciplinary hearing.”
The party has further alleged that the committee has availed all the relevant evidence that will be raised at the hearing. Butale was advised to submit any documentation for consideration at the hearing if he had any names of witnesses he may wish to bring forward by no later than this Thursday.
Should he fail to honour the hearing, the DC Chairman, Leinane, indicated in the letter that they would proceed to make a determination on his matter and inform him of the committee decision in the shortest possible time.
When reached for comment, Butale confirmed receiving the summons. He said what surprised him was that it took the committee over a year to call him for a hearing. This, he said, was clear indication that he had no case to answer.
“There is no complainant in this matter. I have been ordered to submit a list of witnesses but I was expecting them to give me evidence so that I can prepare my defence. Someone wants to destroy me and that person won’t succeed,” said Butale, who was seemingly unperturbed by the looming trial.