Promise Marupeng
The family of a Francistwon lawyer, Mona-Lisa Danieli Mungure, is in hiding after she received chilling threats from British citizen, David Holland, Wednesday afternoon.
Mungure (37) alleges that Holland sent another lawyer, (name with held), to deliver the threats.
In an affidavit deposed in Francistown on Thursday afternoon, Mungure says she received a call from the lawyer, who told her that Holland had assigned her to ask if she wanted to see her child on life support.
Mungure’s crime is allegedly helping Holland’s wife get into hiding after repeatedly being bashed by her husband, according to sources.
The wife, and her three minor children are in an undisclosed safehouse for gender based violence survivors.
She is allegedly receiving assistance from Mungure’s non governmental organisation, Molao Matters, which helps distressed GBV survivors.
In her affidavit, Mungure says, Holland demanded to see his first born son (name with held) “within one day” or “there will be no going back”.
The context of the matter is that Holland is accused of repeatedly bashing his wife, who has now been in hiding for the last three months.
Three months ago, Holland’s wife sought help from NGOs that assist GBV survivors, among them Molao Matters.
Since then, sources say, Holland has been terrorising different NGOs that he suspects are aware of his family’s location.
Mungure’s Molao Matters is one such NGO.
This is not the first time that Mungure has been threatened by Holland. In May this year, she also filed another affidavit saying Holland had said he would help her commit suicide for assisting his wife to file a restraining order against him.
But in the latest episode, Holland goes on to threaten Mungure’s family members including her husband, Paul Banda Luanga and another family member.
“In light of my threat to kill case filed…on 29th of May 2023, and the fact that he is reiterating his words to cause me harm, I state that I am being threatened once again, intimidated, harassed, and provoked to fear. Lastly and more chillingly, in his words, he one of my family members…to disappear off the face of Botswana…He mentions my family members such as my husband’s ‘Paul’ and details about my house address and that he wants to come ‘see me’,” part of Mungure’s affidavit read.
“Holland always boasts that he is untouchable especially in Maun and Francistown. He is closely linked to the family of Botswana’s vice president and police officers always seem too scared to bring him to book,” a source said on Thursday.
The source said even whenever the police gathered the courage to arrest him, the cases always collapsed because of “his powerful links”.
Last year, Holland had a three-day stand-off with the police at his Molapo Estates home after he threatened to kill his wife.
He reportedly threatened to kill his wife the entire weekend until the police convinced him to give up.
That case is still in court. He also has a litany of other pending court cases.
Efforts to get a comment from Holland were unsuccessful on Thursday evening. However, Africa News 24 will publish his response once he is available.
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Holland responds to allegations
After several unanswered calls, Holland responded on WhatsApp and alleged that Mungure was “out to destroy my life by making allegations against me”.
“She has also gone to the extent of pushing a case against me. She an evil woman who has also defamed me by allegations.
She is using the GBV campaign as a business and she has been also destroying my marriage with my wife.
“She’s abusing her position in the high court because we are in a court battle for over two years now. So, I’m still waiting for the allegations to be proven.
They have kept my children from me for 90 days. She is behind my divorce. They took her (his wife) claiming GBV. There is no report of abuse. The vendetta dears (dates) way back from high school.
(On) April 20 last year she sent police to shoot at me and I retaliated, so our gift (sic) has been very personal and I also need help and protection from her,” Holland claimed.
It was however, established that Mungure does not work for the state.
Nevertheless, Holland claims to have proof dating back over two years that Mungure was out to tarnish his image.
“Please contact me there is alot more to Mona-Lisa and her lies then she is saying..she has been on a vendetta to ruin my life… there is over 500 thousand (P 500 000) in law fees she has cost me with her false allegations and lies… I have 2 years of documentation…but I am in a court process how am I going to send it?”
He also refuted the allegations of threats saying: “And I never threatened Mona-Lisa. I asked her how can she tell such a detrimental lie that I am wanted for murder of a pregnant girl in Maun. I have no criminal record no conviction I am a British investor in Botswana but Mona-Lisa kept me in maximum prison for 50 days with no charge,” he said.
He however, could not establish how Mungure, a lawyer, managed to get him locked up in prison for 50 days when she does not work for the court.
