Lekopanye Mooketsi
21 November 2007
Gaborone — The Registrar and Master of the High Court has struck the President of the Botswana National Front (BNF), Otsweletse Moupo who is also a practising attorney, off the roll.
The Executive Secretary of the Botswana Law Society, Patricia Makhoana confirmed that Moupo has been struck off the roll. She said he was de-listed for failing to renew his practising certificate.
Makhoana said the law society received a letter from the Registrar of the High Court notifying them of its action against Moupo's firm.
She said normally when an attorney has been struck off the roll, the society would apply to the High Court to put his or her firm under curatorship. She added that the council would meet to decide on which of course of action to take.
Makhoana said other lawyers who have been struck off with effect from November, include Moupo's younger brother, Victor Moupo, Walter Chikanda and Kamogelo Mokongwa.
Attorney Gabriel Kanjabanga who previously represented Moupo in a similar matter, said he does not know why his client was struck off. He said Moupo might have been struck off for failing to file audited accounts. But he said Moupo could be reinstated once he regularised.
He said being struck off by the registrar is more of an administrative issue unlike when one has been stopped from practicing by a court.
Kanjabanga said this was not a big deal, adding that Moupo could deal with the matter without seeking legal representation.
He said there might have been more lawyers other than Moupo who were struck off. He added that Moupo could apply for reinstatement once when he has put his house in order.
This is not the first time Moupo's law firm has been in similar trouble. Last year he made headlines when he failed to regularise. The law society made an urgent application to place Moupo's company under curatorship but the matter was later withdrawn.
It later emerged that the law firm had failed to pay political parties money which was deposited into a trust account. The money was supposed to be distributed to the Botswana National Front (BNF), Botswana Alliance Movement (BAM) and the Botswana People's Party (BPP).
A donor who preferred anonymity had paid P150, 000 to Moupo's law firm, which was to be shared by the three opposition parties which had entered into an electoral pact in 2004.
Last year, officials of BAM and BPP revealed that their parties were not paid their share. Moupo paid out the money after the two parties demanded it.
When contacted about the matter, Moupo insisted that it was a matter between him and his clients.
The issue of Moupo's law firm failing to regularise nearly destroyed his political career. Moupo's woes divided the BNF as he clashed with members of the central committee who wanted him to resign.
In fact one of the central committee members, Dr Monageng Mogalakwe resigned in protest over what Moupo has done. In his resignation letter, Mogalakwe labelled Moupo a "fake revolutionary".
At some stage, the embattled Moupo took sabbatical leave to sort out his affairs. But when he returned, he called for a special congress to elect a new central committee.
The BNF leader said he could no longer work with his old committee.
Yesterday Moupo declined to respond to questions. The Registrar of the High Court, Godfrey Nthomiwa was not available for comment.
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