Tshireletso Motlogelwa
10 January 2008
The embattled United States Senator, William Jefferson has turned up in the charge sheet brought by the prosecution against former Debswana chief executive, Louis Nchindo and other senior members of the company.
Jefferson, who late last year was served with a 95 page long indictment by the US department of justice on a wide range of criminal charges relating to his various trips to Africa, visited Botswana a few years ago on two occasions. Late last year, the media raised questions about Jefferson's trip to Botswana.
The first time, in 2001, he came at the invitation of the Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) at the cost of US$20, 753.33 (P128, 878.17 at current exchange rate).
Jefferson is accused of lining his pockets on his various visits to African countries. The indictment charges that he used his congressional clout to arrange African business deals.
Jefferson's brief during the BOCCIM trip was to "investigate the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) implementation; anti-AIDS initiatives and diamond industry in Botswana".
He was being groomed to join Botswana's "Diamonds-for-Development" campaign at the height of the 'blood' diamonds controversy. Former Debswana corporate affairs manager, Jacob Sesinyi, an accused with Nchindo, said then that before they engaged the man, Jefferson had visited Botswana several times.
"So when we looked for support from the influential Congressional Black Caucus, he seemed to be the only one with a knowledge of Botswana. Our dealings with him were purely on that campaign".
In 2001, Jefferson had a 10-day working visit to Botswana from April 6 to 15, which was sponsored by Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) to the tune of US$20, 753.33 (P128, 878.17 at current exchange rate).
Elias Dewah, who was the executive director of BOCCIM, last year, recalled "we dealt with Jefferson under the auspices of the Congressional Black Caucus".
Dewah further disclosed that BOCCIM actually hosted him on behalf of the Botswana government.
"That was the last time we had any dealings with him, though he paid subsequent visits to the country," Dewah said.
Reference is made to the second Jefferson visit in the charge sheet submitted against Nchindo, Debswana Group Secretary Joe Matome, Sesinyi, Nchindo's son Garvas and Najmudin Kader.
It is alleged that Nchindo senior and Sesinyi obtained by false pretences a total of P583, 135 from Debswana by pretending that the said costs were expenses for Jefferson's official trip to Debswana. Jefferson's trip was a private visit to Louis Nchindo, the prosecution maintains.
Meanwhile, Presidential Affairs Minister, Daniel Kwelagobe told Parliament in August last year that, President Festus Mogae had met with representative William Jefferson, along with many other American Legislators in Gaborone and elsewhere on accassion, but not in November 2001.
"As a leading member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Representative, Jefferson has supported our country and the continent on many issues over the years, notably including the 'Diamonds for Development' campaign, which is worth acknowledging when the occasion arises".
Kwelagobe was answering a question from the Member of Parliament for Lobatse, Nehemiah Modubule. Modubule had asked the Minister whether allegations that President Festus Mogae had a meeting in December 2001 at Kasane with a certain William Jefferson of the USA were true and if so what was the nature of his trip?
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