Africa-Press – Botswana. Former Gambling Authority executive Potlako Mawande has accused the Authority of wasting public funds in a legal battle that ended with an out-of-court settlement in his favour.
Mawande, who served as Chief Operating Officer, took the Authority to the Industrial Court in 2023 over a dispute involving three months’ unpaid salary. After nearly two years of litigation, it was resolved that he be paid his three months dues.
In his right of reply submitted Mawande said: “The Gambling Authority… saw nothing wrong with spending taxpayers’ funds on legal bills, challenging the Applicant’s demand to be paid three months’ salary… only to come back almost two years later to request for an out-of-court settlement”.
Access to evidence
Mawande linked some of his challenges to the denial to access to his work laptop and key documents by the authority, which he needed to defend himself against charges of dishonesty, breach of trust, and failure to report irregular conduct.
“The Gambling Authority refused me access to my laptop and other documentation which would have enabled me to prepare for my case,” he said.
He alleges that the Authority entered fraudulent documents into court as evidence, including a Board Resolution supposedly approving the contested program.
Charges “Taken Out of Context”
The charges against Mawande stemmed from internal allegations during his time at the Authority. One involved informing casino operators about plans to use their mandatory contributions to purchase a bus — something the Authority interpreted as encouraging operators to request a refund.
Mawande insists these refund concerns were raised long before, during meetings attended by both himself and the former CEO, and that the issue was well known.
Another charge related to statements Mawande made to the Gauteng Gambling Board about the absence of a responsible gambling programme. He says he stood by that statement and that claims of the programme’s existence were “based on a fraudulent document.”
The Chairperson of the hearing J.B. Akoonyatse found him guilty based on testimony from Moruntshi Kemorwale that he sent an email during the meeting held in Johannesburg in July of 2022 that contained the responsible gambling program and that he had not denied receiving the email. Mawande states that this was refuted in his written response that served as a closing statement.
Another charge accused him of failing to report that licensed gambling operators had expressed interest in supporting his appointment as CEO. Mawande says he made it clear to those operators that he was not interested in such an approach.
Settlement reached after delays
After a protracted battle, the Authority requested to halt proceedings for settlement talks and a deal was eventually struck, and Mawande’s legal costs — initially awarded against him — were waived.
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