Why DIS went after Morris
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday April 5, 2022 06:00
Many find themselves on the other side of the law they once stood for in the Setswana maxim ‘nonyane e pataganngwa le setlhare’. Former commissioner general of Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS), Ken Morris is the latest DIS detainee.
Sources close to the developments state that his detention was part of the investigation into the alleged possession of guns and weapons of war by former president Ian Khama and ex-DIS director general, Isaac Kgosi.
“The DIS and in some instances Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) would order the weapons as if they were for government. Even though the invoice would be written by the procuring organ, the same would be registered by Zebra Shipping (a clearing agent) with the individual's names. The BURS is expected to then verify these before they are let into the country and Morris was detained to help assist with investigations as he was at the helm of BURS,” the source said.
According to the source, the said weapons would never reach the government entities. “The guns would then get licensed by the Botswana Police Service for the said individuals. Government-owned guns do not need to be licensed by the police. Furthermore, one of the guns licensed for Khama is a war gun and should have never been licensed to an individual. That is why Makgophe was detained and questioned,” the source revealed.
Morris and Makgophe's detentions by the DIS follow those of Tshekedi, his wife Thea Khama and his twin brother Anthony. Some Zebra Shipping employees are also alleged to have been detained and questioned by the spy agency.
The former president, who fled the country in what has been declared a self-imposed exile has said he was aware that the current regime led by his successor, President Mokgweetsi Masisi is going to try to discredit and embarrass him. Khama decries the DIS detentions and raids as a witchhunt concocted by the intelligence agency to target his family.
Meanwhile, the DIS says the pair, former president Khama and his ally former DIS director-general, Isaac Kgosi, has over the years been stealing and stockpiling firearms from the Botswana Defence Force and later the DIS.
Late last year, Jet Mafuta, a police officer seconded to the spy agency and a lead investigator in the matter told the court that it has emerged that some of the purported firearms were registered in their personal names under dubious circumstances and that most are arms of war.
“There is a clear pattern in terms of which the two used their positions to either steal firearms belonging to government institutions such as the BDF and the DIS claiming that the said firearms were gifted by some ‘old friend’ whose further particulars were not disclosed or smuggled firearms and ammunition into the country,” said the DIS officer. Mafuta said more than 90 witnesses have been interviewed, including officers of the DIS, Botswana Police Service, clearing companies and couriers, Air Botswana, former president Festus Mogae, the BDF, senior government officials and many more.”
Efforts to reach Morris proved futile as his mobile phone was unreachable. Zebra Shipping Director Oduetse Makgane confirmed they had been questioned by the DIS. "It is true that they questioned us. We can however assure you that there is not any wrongdoing on our part as we have always done our job according to the law," he said.