*Multi-million pula estate stripped from ex-wife’s grasp
After enduring a bitter, eight-year divorce from controversial businessman, Muinuddin Tajbhai, with their marriage finally terminated in 2023, Yasmin Tajbhai has found herself back in court.
This time, the long suffering woman’s woes centre around what she believes is a coordinated, multi-million Pula scheme to illegally strip her of the properties she was awarded under matrimonial court order on 29 January 2024.
Presenting her case before Justice Mokibe of Gaborone High Court on Monday, the complainant launched an urgent application to freeze multiple properties she claims are being fraudulently transferred, bonded and sold without her consent.
Court papers paint a disturbing picture of missing title deeds, rogue mandates, alleged abuse of legal processes, and a network of individuals and companies accused of benefitting from the unlawful transactions.
In total, 12 respondents were mentioned on the application.
According to court documents, original title deeds that were once held by Toteng & Company Attorneys were allegedly collected by Tshegofatso Barrows Chiche, who is accused of failing to return them, a move Yasmin says opened the door to fraudulent land transfers.
One of the most shocking allegations involves a plot in Phakalane, which Yasmin says was unlawfully transferred to Mutuda (Pty) Ltd at P1.5 million, which they allegedly claimed was paid to one Fatima Barthrams, before being bonded for P2.5 million with First National Bank (Botswana) all without her knowledge.
The company’s director, Blessed Mhaka, is cited as the ‘principal orchestrator’.
The court documents further accuse Sepego Attorneys and Deputy Sheriff Caine Mogorosi of involvement in the alleged illegal transfer of another plot in White City, Gaborone, which reportedly ended up in the hands of Fabric Group (Pty) Ltd at P1.2 million.
Several other properties, including Plot 2600 in Gaborone and Plot 54033 in Block 6, are also alleged to have been unlawfully sold, with missing title deeds and no consent from the rightful owner.
Yasmin further claims that her former nominee, Fatima Barthrams, whose limited mandate expired following a court order, continued to interfere with her estate and failed to submit court-mandated reports, actions that seemingly enabled the questionable transactions.
The scandal has now drawn the attention of Botswana Police, the Serious Crime Squad, the Law Society of Botswana, the Registrar of Deeds, and the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC). Criminal investigations are said to be ongoing.
“It has been a year since I reported this to the police, I still have not been assisted,” cried Yasmin.
Despite lodging complaints and issuing statutory notices, Yasmin says no protective action was taken, forcing her to approach the court urgently to prevent what she describes as ongoing attempts to dispose of her remaining properties in Molepolole and Thamaga.
“I am now seeking an interim order to stop any further transactions until the matter is fully heard, as the balance of convenience strongly favours protecting my property rights,” she argued.
The case was temporarily adjourned due to Yasmin’s ill health, with more gloomy details expected to be revealed when the matter continues this Friday (16 January).
