*Former Minister in court over suspected stolen stock
Former Assistant Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Honest Buti Billy, has had his honesty questioned, landing in a hot, meaty soup over three cows.
Along with two younger men, the former Francistown East Member of Parliament (MP), who lost his seat in the 2024 primary elections, faces a single count of possession of suspected stolen stock.
The 53-year-old former MP, alongside Ndiye Julius, 28, an Administration Officer at the Francistown East Constituency, and unemployed Trevor Maripe, 32, are accused of contravening Section 3A(1) of the Stock Theft Act.
According to the particulars of the offence, on 8 July 2023, Billy and his co-accused were found in possession of three heifers in Mabesekwa village and failed to give a satisfactory explanation as to how they came to possess the animals.
Closing in on three years later, the matter was called before Francistown Magistrates’ Court last Thursday. However, after the defence argued that some of the accused were served late, Magistrate Thato Masonya was left with no option but to postpone proceedings to 24 April.
Billy, who is represented by Morris Ndawana, has kept a low profile since the Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) historic loss at the 2024 polls.
The former Francistown City Mayor turned to God, taking a trip to South Africa in August last year to attend Prophet David Uche’s service, where he was given a prophecy and delivered.
In the now-viral video, the flamboyant prophet told Billy his name had been ‘submitted to government’.
“I said they are submitting your name to government, so God will protect you. Nobody will question you,” the prophet promised the politician.
In response, Billy told the man of God he was being targeted by people who wanted to see him jailed.
“I’m not doing well. There are people after me, they are framing me. They want to lock me up over something that I totally did not do,” continued the worried one-time Assistant Minister.
Although Uche warned Billy ‘the worse was still to come’, the holy leader reiterated his reassurance that he was protected.
“Don’t shake. God will protect you. Nobody will question you,” Uche said emphatically.
However, it seems the Prophet was mistaken; Billy finds himself having to answer some extremely awkward questions!
