Mfa denies fraud charges

Former Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Nata /Gweta constituency Oliphant Mfa has denied defrauding House of Pizza, but that he only reversed the deal after realising that the owner was a foreigner who had tricked him into believing that he was a Motswana of Indian origin.
The case was supposed to have gone to trial on November 3, 2016 but was pushed to December 7 and 8  before Judge Lot Moroka.

Speaking to The Midweek Sun, Mfa explained that he decided to sell the piece of land in question thinking that it was a freehold land only to realise later that it was a state-owned land which he could not sell.

 “Moreover, I was annoyed to realise that the buyer was a foreigner who had tricked me into believing that he was a Motswana of Indian origin. When I realised this, I informed the plaintiff that the deal will not go through and even tried to give him back the P500 000  he had paid.  
When he refused and insisted that he be given the piece of land instead,  I then deposited the money into a trust account with my lawyer.

He cannot force me to change ownership when I do not owe him anything. Besides,he has not made any developments within the piece of land in question,” he revealed.

The former MP said that every Motswana who is patriotic should never sell land to foreigners. According to court papers, Mfa entered into a sales agreement to sell a piece of freehold land on October 21, 2011 but later refused to effect change of ownership.

House of Pizza has asked the high court to force Mfa to effect change of ownership and pay an amount of P135, 400. 88 together with a 10percent annual interest accrued through power and water utility as well as city council bills.