Katlholo denies interfering in DIS investigations
Mpho Mokwape | Tuesday August 15, 2023 08:57
Battling legal challenges, Katlholo, who seeks P2 million from the state for defamation, categorically denied assertions that he hindered inquiries into former Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) chief Isaac Kgosi and military consultancy firm Seleka Springs, deeming them "baseless and malicious". In a subsequent notice filed on June 14, Katlholo clarified that he played no role in the Kgosi and Seleka Springs matters, both personally and officially.
He emphasised that DIS Director General Peter Magosi and spy unit investigator Jet Mafuta should have been aware of this fact. “Both Magosi and Mafuta knew and or ought to have known that I did not play any role on the concerned files, both in my personal capacity or official capacity because from the perspective of my predecessor and even the DCEC investigation, it was a dead file,” he said. However, Katlholo pointed out that Mafuta provided no substantial evidence to substantiate these claims, rendering them baseless and intentionally malicious.
Katlholo underscored the events of June 7, 2022, when Tshepo Pilane, acting as the DCEC's director general in his (Katlholo) absence, produced the same Seleka Springs file that Mafuta claimed was hidden. Katlholo noted that his office and his staff officer's offices had remained sealed since March 3, 2022, due to a crime. This raised doubts about Pilane's credibility in conveying the information to Mafuta. “It should also be noted that this is the same file from which I had furnished Magosi with information relating to the same file earlier on or around April 5, 2022,” he said. Moreover, Katlholo questioned the basis for Mafuta's suspicions, especially since DIS spokesperson Edward Robert's statements were false and known to be false by Magosi. Katlholo highlighted that the defamatory statements against him were intended to harm his reputation without any factual justification. Katlholo mentioned that all statements made against him were published with the intention to injure his reputation and were also intended by Magosi and Robert to mean or indeed be understood by the listeners or the general public and DCEC staff to mean or impute that:
*He was a disgraceful person and undeserving of employment in any responsible senior position as he engages in criminal acts or acts that threaten national security *He does not respect and abide by professional ethics *He was not morally upright and or was guilty of an unlawful act *He was guilty of disreputable conduct and lacks integrity *He was guilty of disgraceful and reprehensible conduct
“The publication of stated defamatory statements were complete without any basis and or justification as they were false, unfair, malicious and intentional and have lowered my reputation, name, calling, trade, and profession in the esteem of the persons referred to as Tymon Motlhasedi Katlholo, the director general of DCEC,” he said.
Katlholo concluded that the allegations against him were unfounded, citing his impeccable career and asserting that Magosi, Robert, and Mafuta had made reckless defamatory statements without verifying their accuracy.
Meanwhile, Katlholo's lawsuit targets the Attorney General, Magosi, Robert, Mafuta, and acting DCEC director-general Pilane.