Assassination plots, dented credibility torment Hubona

Sharon Mathala | Monday June 26, 2023 06:00

Spilling the beans on what happened behind the scenes of the alleged controversial ‘P100 billion money-laundering scheme’ now popularly known as the ‘Butterfly’ case, Hubona recently wrote a report to President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

In the report leaked to Mmegi, Hubona claims he was almost assassinated. He said at some stage, he received a call on December 12, 2019, from the current Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) acting boss, Tshepo Pilane warning him about a plot to kill him.

According to a highly placed source that allegedly alerted him, his elimination was planned from within the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) and allegedly set to appear as if he would be killed by those he had lodged cases against. “On December 12, 2019, I received a call from Pilane about a meeting that took place on December 7, 2019. He warned me that the meeting was about eliminating me. He did not disclose who attended the meeting or where it was held. He just said that his source had told him that I should be careful,” Hubona alleged in his leaked report.

The DCEC investigator said Pilane then phoned him again with more information. He says he was told that there was someone who was going to be sent to pick him up from home and kill him. “Lo and behold, around 7:30pm, a motor vehicle from the DIS arrived at the gate and parked outside. The driver of the car did not disembark but instead flashed the lights. I knew the vehicle because I was working with the DIS at the time. I then went to the gate to meet with the driver. I recognised the driver as a DIS agent I was familiar with. In fact, he was part of our task team in the ‘Butterfly’ case,” Hubona indicated, further adding that the driver then asked him to accompany him to Game City.

“Pilane has told me in the call that the assassin was from the task team. I instructed my wife to sneak out of the house after I left and went to a guesthouse nearby. I told her not to call me. I wanted her and the children to leave the house so that if anything happened to me, the assassin would not find them at the house for purposes of finishing them up as well,” Hubona recalled. The investigator pointed out that he left with the DIS agent to Game City.

He says on the way, he received yet another call from Pilane.

“I put the phone on loudspeaker so that the DISS agent could hear our conversation. Pilane even mentioned the said DIS agent’s names. The agent just responded in unbelievable gasps. The DIS agent went into a quick shop and bought some drinks. I remained in the car. He came back and handed me a Coke can.

From there we headed to a house at Gaborone West,” Hubona, disclosed. Hubona said he then confronted the DIS Director General, Peter Magosi. He said Magosi confirmed the statements by Pilane. “I asked him how he knew about the matters and responded that the information was received at 1:30pm that day.” Hubona further revealed that on the day, the DIS agent eventually dropped him back at his house where his wife and children had left the home as instructed. He says he did not call.

“I remained alone waiting for the assassin, should he turn up. I was ready to die. Nothing happened that evening and the following morning I met with the task team at the DIS headquarters. I told the team what had happened,” he said.

“We met with DG Magosi and told him everything. He confirmed knowledge of the hit, and my call and sent his agent. He said he would organise security for me and my family,” Hubona further said. Hubona said he also reported the matter to Gaborone West Police Station on the morning of December 14, 2019. His case was referred to the Serious Crimes Unit.

He says he went for several interviews at the Serious Crimes Unit office but his case eventually died a natural death. He is still worried that the police never questioned all those involved in his alleged assassination plot.

“In such instances, as elucidated above, I wonder whether my life has any meaning to the DCEC administration. I don’t think there is any office I have not registered my concerns with, yet I am met with silence or indifference. All this, after putting my life on the line for the Republic and this is how I am thanked, the DCEC is not acting on its legislative mandate and has instead become a political tool where hardworking members like myself become victimised for doing exemplary work,” he highlighted.

Hubona said the Directorate of Public Prosecutions has refused to take responsibility for the damaging affidavit, which it drafted and instructed him to sign.

“The DIS formally engaged me but has now ignored me and left me to be dragged through the mud and allowed the former president to rubbish my name at every opportunity. The negative reports in the media have only served to affect my health, which in turn affects my performance at work,” he lamented. The investigator further said he has incurred debts as a result of having to engage a private attorney, which cost him around P90,000. “My credibility as a prudent and professional investigator has been permanently dented by the indifferences of the DCEC and the negative media publicity. Future career prospects are now distant and most improbable in light of the said publicity. I already have a mark on my head wherever I go,” he further bemoaned. Meanwhile, sources within the Office of the President say Hubona might sue government for ‘using him.’

Reached for a comment on alleged assassination attempts on Hubona the DIS spokesperson, Edward Robert directed Mmegi’s questions to the police. “Since you are alleging that this is a matter that has been reported to the police, I kindly advise that you contact the said police station.

They will be better placed to respond to your enquiry.” Mmegi also reached out to the DCEC DG Pilane who confirmed the assassination threat on the investigator. He, however, said at the time, he had received ‘untested’ intelligence and he warned Hubona about it.

“We went to serious crime, I and Hubona. The matter is with them. Maybe call them to find out more,” Pilane confirmed. Pressed further the DCEC DG said: “Yes I had received that intelligence at the time but it was untested. I shared it with him.” Pilane could not comment any further only saying the intelligence sources were from South Africa.

Reached fora comment, Botswana Police Serice deputy spokesperson Senior Superintendent Near Bagali confirmed that the police did receive the report of threat to life of the investigator. “The case was reported and indeed investigated. We however had to close the matter because of insufficient evidence,” Bagali said.