“Gerrie Nel is doing it for free’- Minister
Last year in June, AfriForum, a South African lobby group protecting Afrikaner rights announced that its Private Prosecution Unit, under the leadership of Advocate Gerrie Nel was officially appointed to represent Botswana in the high profile Wilhelmina Mphoeng Maswabi money laundering case.
This week, speaking in Parliament the Minister of Defence Justice and Security, Kagiso Mmusi distanced government from Afriforum.
Mmusi said that government did not engage AfriForum but Advocate Nel in his personal capacity, through Hurter Spies Attorneys.
“I wish to underscore the fact the Director of Public Prosecution has not entered into any agreement and has no relationship with AfriForum,” Mmusi explained.
He said Nel’s engagement was made on the basis of his reputation as a former prosecutor and a legal hawk with vast experience in prosecuting complex crime.
“The contract that Nel entered in is still in force and has not been terminated,” said Mmusi before adding that at the moment no payment was due to Advocate Nel because all the work carried out was considered to be for the public good and therefore free of charge. (Pro bono)
Mmusi was responding to a question from the Member of Parliament for Serowe North, Baratiwa Mathoothe who wanted to know details of the engagement of AfriForum.