PWC SUFFERS THIRD CONSECUTIVE LEGAL DEFEAT.

Article By: Tebogo Mokoto

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) has suffered another legal defeat in its prolonged battle with Choppies Enterprises CEO Ramachandran Ottapathu, as the High Court of Botswana once again ruled in his favor.

The latest judgment marks PWC’s third consecutive loss, further validating Ottapathu’s claims of misconduct by the auditing firm during its tenure as Choppies' external auditor.

The dispute stems from the fallout between PWC and the Choppies board in 2019, which led to the firm’s controversial resignation.

In court, the auditing firm attempted to defend its handling of the Choppies audit, but Justice Kebonang dismissed its arguments, citing procedural flaws, lack of evidence of financial loss or reputational harm, and failure to prove damages.

The ruling reinforces previous findings that PWC acted improperly in its dealings with Choppies and its leadership.

It is unclear whether PWC will appeal the decision.