Molale’s day in court

• Charged with abuse of office in P1,445 billion corruption case
• ‘Gantsi -New Xade Road awarded to Tau Grading fraudulently’ – DPP
• Joins several others, including former cabinet minister Noah Salakae

STAFF WRITER

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) former Specially Elected Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister, Eric Mothibi Molale will on Friday be arraigned before Broadhurst Regional Magistrate Mareledi Dipate, facing one count of abuse of office.

He is expected to apply for and be given bail while awaiting the commencement of trial.

The former Minister of Transport and Public Works becomes the eighth accused person in the Tau Grading corruption case, involving former Transport and Infrastructure Minister, Noah Serikgweri Salakae, Tau Grading and Building Construction (Pty) Ltd, Seby Jose, Hugo Lemcke, Christiaan Lemcke, Kgakgamalo Ketshajwang and Mompati Sepego.

Molale will appear in court on Friday (October 9^th, 2026) alongside other accused persons, who collectively face numerous charges related to the awarding of the Gantsi-New Xade Road project. The charges include corruption, corrupting a public officer, abuse of office and money laundering.

According to the charge sheet, it is alleged that in June 2024, when he was serving as the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Molale directed Ketshajwang to directly appoint Tau Grading and Building Construction (Pty) Ltd for the construction of the Gantsi- New-Xade Road, a government contract valued at P1,445,754,807.37.

The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) argues that the appointment was made despite the project requiring the use of a selective procurement method and that Molale’s alleged actions prejudiced the rights of other lawfully registered companies that were entitled to compete for government work in the same construction services procurement category.