*Family war erupts over Seloma Tiro’s millions
*Siblings accuse sister of looting father’s estate
The dust has barely settled on prominent businessman Seloma Tiro’s grave, following his passing two months ago, but his family is already at war in court over his multimillion-pula estate.
At the centre of the bitter dispute is a P70 million loan that was credited into his bank account shortly after his death, and has since dwindled to just P4 million.
His children, Henrietta Gopolang and Keletso Tiro, are probing a series of questionable transactions including the purchase of a luxury vehicle worth P890,000 and a P300,000 company buyout by their sibling, Palesa Nandipha Makepe.
According to court papers seen by this publication, Keletso and Gopolang, represented by Dinokopila Mmipi Attorneys, urgently applied for an interim interdict against Makepe to stop her from further “dissipating the estate”.
In their story the concerned siblings state that after the passing of their father on July 14th, to ensure a seamless conduct of the funeral proceedings, Makepe was given access to their deceased father’s bank accounts.
“The arrangement was made temporarily until the end of the funeral and no curator or executor has been appointed,” said Keletso in the court papers. Keletso added that after the funeral, the family requested the revocation of Makepe’s access to the accounts.
“To our shock, it came to our attention that Makepe had registered the Estate of the deceased and obtained appointment as curator bonis without any reference to the family,” said Keletso before she added, ” It appears to me that this appointment was the commencement of a series of unlawful and illegal actions that threatened to dissipate the Estate before its rightful administrator could take charge of it.”
Makepe is accused of having disbursed numerous payments from the bank accounts unilaterally.
There is also another P100,000 transaction which was done on July 17 and 18, which the family is questioning.
They are demanding a breakdown on it as they allege they were only told it was funeral expenses.
“The deceased was a sole shareholder and director of Platinum Icon, Pine and Wine, Tlhago, Tame Malls and Visible Selection but we found out the unlawful assumption of shareholding and directorship of those companies. She transferred the shares to herself on 22nd August,” said Keletso.
Makepe is said to be refusing to give information on how the P70m was spent, leading to the balance being P4m.
Last Friday, Justice Mathaka of the Gaborone High Court ordered that Makepe, together with partners and companies, be interdicted from dealing with any of the estate’s assets.
Judge Mathaka ruled that the interim order shall be in force until next Thursday when a judgement will be delivered.
“You are ordered to forthwith return and deliver to any of the companies forming part of the Estate of the late Tiro, all monies, funds, financial assets received or withdrawn or collected and all company books, records, movable and immovable assets.”
Dinokopila Mmipi attorneys were reluctant to share further details on the matter as it is still before court, while Makepe’ s phone rang unanswered and later went off.
