Convicted former Permanent Secretary to the President, Carter Morupisi has been given a new lease on life by escaping jail term and ordered to pay a total of P130, 000 to State in a matter which left the public with mixed feelings.

The State was hoping to nail and send Morupisi to jail and set an example to would be corrupt officers. As a prominent former government official was Morupisi was spared the embarrassment of jail and given 90 days to pay the prescribed amount during his sentencing.

He was convicted on two counts of corruption and one count of money laundering all resulting from the alleged misappropriation of P500 million belonging to the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF).

His conviction was based only on evidence of purchasing a Toyota Land Cruiser valued at P630,988 which was alleged to have been bought for his wife’s company. The money used to buy the car was taken from BPOPF during the time Morupisi was the latter’s Board chairman.

During mitigation Morupisi cried about the punishment and humiliation he suffered and that jail will not be in his best interest as an old person. On Wednesday all eyes were set on Gaborone High Court judge Chris Gabanagae to deliver sentence.

After explaining to the fully packed court room that the charges were of serious nature therefore the sentence should serve as a reflection, people

expected a harsher punishment than what was read.

“Corruption and money laundering are serious charges that should not be taken lightly and punishment should be a reflection of the same charges,” Gabanagae said.

Not long after, Gabanagae concluded that Morupisi will receive a jail term of two years wholly suspended for one of his corruption charges and pay P130, 000 being a collective of count two of corruption and count three of money laundering.

“Count one you are sentenced two years imprisonment suspended for 3 years, count two you are fined P50 000. 00 or five years imprisonment if you default and for count two you are fined P80 000. 00 or 8 years jail term if you default. The Land Cruiser is forfeited to the State”, he read.

As jubilant as Morupisi and family were about the sentence, a lot could be said about the public who attended. People were left with mixed feelings about the sentence.

While the former PSP’s family was busy hugging him and displaying tears of joy. Morupisi’s family wondered if they had heard the judge well while fully the packed court had expected a bit of action, like seeing Morupisi on handcuffs.

One could tell through Morupisi’s demeanor that he was relieved to learn that the judge heard his cries and that he was not going to jail afterall. He was glad that the judge had opted to give him a non custodial sentence.

Meanwhile, the prosecution on the other hand could be heard saying that Morupisi should pay money within 24 hours or be ready to go to jail. Clearly they expected Morupisi to taste jail but it didn’t happen.

Both parties had to go back to get clarity on the time-frame as to when Morupisi should have paid the amount since the judge had not clearly stated that.