Voice note instruction that fired Kgosi
Ryder Gabathuse | Monday November 1, 2021 06:00
As the details of the story of Kgosi arrest and arraignment continues to unfold, it is perhaps, the alleged ‘casual’ nature of the instruction allegedly issued from the highest office in the land to “immediately” exit the former DIS chief from office, that is set to be the proverbial thorn in the flesh of the State. Kgosi, the controversial founding director-general of the spy agency, DIS, was allegedly dismissed from the office via a voice note instruction given to the former Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP), Carter Morupisi to “immediately” fire Kgosi.
Kgosi, an ally of former president Ian Khama, was appointed in 2009 during Khama’s tenure, until he was pathetically shown the door, and ordered never to step at his former office to do proper handing over.
Mmegi is privy to details of an audio message, which was reportedly sent to Morupisi by President Masisi ordering the former PSP: “Motho yo o in 10 minutes a bo a tsamaile (That person should have been fired in 10 minutes)”. It is this instruction that allegedly compelled the former PSP to write a letter to Kgosi exiting him from the public service as promptly as instructed. Quizzed if indeed he reportedly kicked Kgosi out of the office following a voice note instruction that he reportedly possesses even today, Morupisi responded in shock: “ I am not aware of a voice note instruction, but instructions are written down.” He then wondered, “Where did you get that one from?” In the vernacular, he questioned if yours truly was not planted by the system to ask such questions. “Kana gongwe o romilwe boloi (May be you have been sent to spy on me), he said. This was before Morupisi, the former PSP, who himself is currently facing charges of corruption and money laundering made an emphasis: “I can’t answer to anything. Where did you get that one? I have the details of how Kgosi was axed from the DG position by his superiors.
Unfortunately, I can’t discuss such details with anyone.” Despite Morupisi’s denial, this week he deposed to an affidavit detailing how President Masisi exited Kgosi from his DG job as depicted by court records. “I confirm that during my employment and in my capacity as Permanent Secretary to the President, on 2nd May 2018, I handed Isaac Kgosi his letter of termination of employment as director general of the Directorate of Intelligence Service. He ceased being an employee of the government of Botswana with immediate effect,” reads part of Morupisi’s affidavit that he has deposed to in support of Kgosi’s case. He also confirmed that subsequently, Kgosi advised him that as there had not been a proper handover he still had in possession certain property belonging to his former employer and needed to hand them over to his successor, Peter Magosi. “He informed me that he had asked Magosi to collect them but he had not done so. He asked me to ask Magosi to arrange to collect them.
I spoke to Magosi who assured me that he would arrange for the handover,” further reads Morupisi’s affidavit. Kgosi was hauled before the Magistrate’s Court this week facing six counts of criminal charges.
The charges range from possession of armoured vest closely resembling that of the Botswana Police Service without lawful authority, possession of armoured vests closely resembling that of the Botswana Defence Force without lawful authority, possession of tactical vest closely resembling those of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services, without lawful authority, possession of forged or irregular documents purported to be specimens of and a passport of Botswana, passport in the name of a certain Lorato Hilton, Botswana passport specimens in the name of Ian Khama and in the names of Alicia Keys, possession of forged or irregular official document purporting to be a national identity card and possession of ammunition without a licence.
It was not the first time Kgosi was arrested by security agencies as in 2019, he was arrested at the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport upon arrival from Dubai on allegations of tax evasion and corruption. “The arrest is just the beginning and it comes weeks after a lifestyle audit was conducted on the former intelligence head by the Botswana Unified Revenue Service and DIS,” Magosi had said in 2019 when Kgosi was arrested.