Court documents in the criminal case involving former Cabinet minister and Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) president Mpho Balopi have provided further details of allegations of fraud and money laundering involving millions of pula in Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) funding.
Balopi who was recently charged, appeared this morning at the Regional Magistrates Court.
According to the charge sheet, Balopi, several companies and other individuals are accused of allegedly making false representations to CEDA in connection with projects for which funding was sought.
One of the allegations concerns P837,302.64, which prosecutors allege was unlawfully obtained after CEDA was allegedly led to believe that the money would be used for construction and advertising-related activities.
The court papers allege that Native Outdoor (Pty) Ltd, purportedly represented by Balopi as its director, Balopi in his personal capacity, Stess Engineering (Pty) Ltd and its director, Thomas Sidney Sharpe, acted together in making the representations to CEDA.
The alleged project involved the provision of services for cladding three boards, transferring a board from Northgate Mall to the Nokia robot, constructing a concrete base, and transferring and erecting a structure at Sefalana Block 10.
The prosecution alleges that, following the representation, CEDA paid P669,842.11 into a Native Outdoor bank account.
However, according to the charge sheet, the accused persons allegedly knew at the time that the money would not be used for the project outlined in the loan application.
Prosecutors further allege that the project was not carried out, thereby causing financial prejudice to CEDA.
P2.8 million LED screen allegation
The court papers detail another allegation involving P2,895,657.
In this matter, CEDA is alleged to have released the funds after being told that they would be used for the supply and installation of a 12-metre by five-metre LED digital screen at a Sefalana store.
The proposed equipment allegedly included four sending cards, two processors, 120 receiving cards and 25 panels.
According to the charge sheet, the money was subsequently paid into a bank account following the representation.
The prosecution alleges that it was known that the accused person had never supplied the digital screens to the first accused company.
The alleged transaction, prosecutors contend, resulted in financial prejudice to CEDA amounting to P2,895,657.
Money-laundering allegation
Further, the documents also contain a separate allegation of money laundering involving P462,242.64. Here,
Stess Engineering (Pty) Ltd and its director, Sharpe, are alleged to have transferred the money from Stess Engineering’s First National Bank Botswana account to an account belonging to Native Impressions (Pty) Ltd on or about December 23, 2024.
The prosecution alleges that the accused persons knew that the money was derived directly from the commission of a fraud offence.
The charge is brought under Section 47(1)(b) of the Proceeds and Instruments of Crime Act. Furthermore, it identifies Balopi as a director of Native Outdoor (Pty) Ltd and also lists him as an accused in his personal capacity.
The allegations against him arise from transactions involving CEDA funding and form part of a wider criminal case involving several individuals and companies.
Balopi is scheduled to appear for mention in court on 28 October 2026 were he and co-accused will be expected to take plea.
