Makuta Kgosi and Councillor face property auction
Seeking a P300, 000 pay day, six former VDC members, including Makuta Kgosi, Alakanani Thabiwa and Makuta/Nswazwi Councillor, Kitso Mukani, have instead been ordered to fork out P180, 000 after losing a defamation case they brought before Francistown High Court.
Court has ordered sheriffs to attach the two leaders’ movable goods as well as those of Edzani Mazi, Nlangangwa Mabikwa, Albert Tema and Isani Gori to cover the taxed costs awarded to the defendant, Norman Pitlagano.
The former Makuta Village Development Committee members had accused Pitlagano of defaming them during a heated 30 October 2020 kgotla meeting in which villagers demanded accountability over monies shared from an auction sale.
“Money has been misused and misappropriated which was from the Nswazwi Brigade during the years 2011 and 2012 and the people who misused and misappropriated it will go to jail for misusing and misappropriating community funds,” was the alleged statement the six took offence too, believing it tarnished their good standing in the community.
According to Pitlagano, Nswazwi Brigade had agreed to share P311, 160.16 in proceeds made from the sale of redundant belongings equally between the Nswazwi and Makuta VDC committees.
Pitlagano and other villagers raised concerns, claiming the Makuta share was never accounted for.
At the time, Kgosi Thabiwa was the Makuta VDC Chairperson while Mukani served as the Treasurer.
Adamant they’d been defamed, the group took their grievances to court.
Presiding over the case, former High Court Judge, Lot Moroka questioned whether the words uttered can be said to lower the esteem in which the persons referred to are held amongst people generally.
“How on earth do words that have been misused and misappropriated from Nswazwi Brigade during 2011 and 2012, and that people who misused it will go to jail refer to any of the plaintiffs?” Moroka queried, dismissing the matter with costs in October last year in a decision that was hailed a ‘victory for free speech’.
Now armed with a writ of execution seen by the publication, Pitlagano has engaged Deputy Sheriffs, who have since attached Kgosi Thabiwa’s Jeep and tractor to be sold through auction to recoup the P180, 000 awarded.
“This is not what it’s about. All we demand is accountability, and for the villagers to freely ask questions and demand answers. What happened to P155 580.80 following the national takeover of brigades?” demanded Pitlagano.
