‘Butterfly saga’ perpetrators must face the law
Mpho Mokwape | Monday June 30, 2025 09:15
A UK-based law firm has called for the investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators. Today, the Lobatse High Court will hear a case in which Motsepe is seeking P20 million in defamation damages. The UK-based law firm wants all perpetrators held accountable and punished. As multiple aspects of the case are unfolding all at once, a new statement released by Omnia Strategy LLP (Omnia) a UK-based law firm that provides strategic counsel to governments, corporate entities and private clients across the globe has called on Boko to swiftly address the matter and make it clear to the perpetrators that they will face the law.
“It is imperative that the new Government of Boko speedily addresses the legacy of the Butterfly saga by investigating those involved and holding them to account with the full force of the law,” reads the statement.
The firm said in parallel, Botswana must set the record straight with those who were wrongly persecuted and smeared, and that a grievance mechanism providing for appropriate reparations and remedies to the victims is required, including a public acknowledgment that the original allegations were pernicious lies. According to the statement, the saga was not just a mere domestic dispute, but it had implications on the image of the country and even across borders, which means that Boko must act now before it is too late for the country.
“If the Boko government acts responsibly and swiftly, it can put right this injustice and, at the same time, restore relations with South Africa that have been damaged by the Masisi administration and reclaim Botswana’s reputation for the Rule of Law,” it highlighted.
The law firm pointed out that it is to be hoped and expected that the president, as a human rights lawyer, will take the necessary action during his days in office. Omnia explained that the Butterfly matter was used in a concerted attempt to maintain power by the former regime and undermine Botswana’s democratic integrity. It stated that Masisi and his supporters launched a campaign intended not only to deprive Khama of his liberty but also to humiliate, delegitimise, stigmatise, and ostracise him, falsely casting him as a criminal embezzler and an enemy of the people of Botswana.
“The State alleged without any substantiation that, in 2008, while serving as President, Khama committed a series of financial crimes involving siphoning a fantastically large sum (exceeding the value of half of Botswana’s gross domestic product) from the accounts of the State’s central bank and transferring these funds to a variety of South African and offshore bank accounts, over which Motsepe, a pioneering black South African businesswoman was said to be a signatory,” Omnia pointed out.
On the implications of the matter on the country and other countries, the law firm said the disinformation campaign also implicated leading banking institutions in South Africa and its highly regarded Reserve Bank. The State alleged that Khama and Motsepe intended to use these funds to finance domestic terrorism and oust Masisi. The case has now given rise to numerous lawsuits in the States after both accused persons vehemently denied any involvement or wrongdoing. The Bank of Botswana publicly denied that it was missing any such funds.
Omnia, in its statement, further mentioned that Masisi’s clear objective was to suppress all opposition that may in any way have challenged his unsuccessful campaign for re-election. “In pursuit of this objective, he conducted a campaign to cause damage, slander, and discredit Khama to tarnish his political standing and sway before the election. The collateral damage from that campaign also implicated leading banking institutions in South Africa and its Reserve Bank and caused serious collateral damage to individuals ranging from Ambassador Motsepe to Butterfly herself,” said the report.
The statement explained that the nature and the implications of Masisi’s actions were acute, and it was no mere domestic quarrel, but the country’s political stability was placed in jeopardy. It says Masisi showed scant regard for regional harmony or the damage that he has caused, including to relations with South Africa, South African institutions, and prominent individuals such as the Ambassador.
The law firm explained that by failing to prosecute in the face of overwhelming evidence, the DPP has so far abdicated responsibility and shown disregard for the rule of law and the rights of individuals who have been so grievously injured by officers of the State. This cannot stand. In conclusion, the Omnia law firm said the Boko's government must act swiftly to put right the historical injustice orchestrated by the previous administration and restore Botswana’s long standing reputation for upholding liberal, democratic values, the rule of law, and the human rights of all citizens.
It stated this should involve: *Investigation and prosecution of all those involved in contriving the Butterfly saga so that there is accountability and transparency; *Remedies, apologies, and reparations for the victims so that they are publicly exonerated and compensated; *Restoring respectful and strong relations with South Africa; *Condemnation of human rights violations in Botswana and the Masisi Government’s anti-democratic conduct and repugnant alliance with AfriForum.
Motsepe case continues today As the law firm pushes for perpetrators to face the law, today Lobatse High Court will hear a case in which Motsepe is seeking P20m from the State for defamation. This is because Khama and Motsepe allege that defamatory statements about them were included in an affidavit when opposing the bail application of Maswabi in October 2019. As such, Motsepe initiated defamation proceedings in the High Court for the allegations made against her. She says that to date, no charges have ever been filed against her, which means that, until now, she has had no judicial forum to seek redress. She will be presented by South Africa Senior Counsel, Geoff Budlender, instructed by Botswana’s Senior Counsel, Unoda Mack. The government initiates steps to settle As the Motsepe case returns to court, earlier this week government acknowledged to Ntlo ya Dikgosi that defamation has indeed occurred.
Responding to a question posed by one of the case victims, Bangwato Kgosi and former President Khama, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Nelson Ramaotwana, explained that the settlement process will allow parties to decide amongst themselves whether the resolution will involve a formal apology or monetary compensation.
“I have directed that the plaintiff and defendant meet to resolve this matter amicably. We acknowledge that defamation has occurred. If someone is accused of theft but there is no complainant, and if the Bank of Botswana (BoB), as custodian, says nothing is missing, then there is no issue. The BoB has submitted a report,” Ramaotwana stated.
The minister said the move is in line with President Duma Boko’s directive that the state should refrain from persecuting innocent citizens.
Looking back, the Butterfly case was allegedly used by the former regime to frame former president Khama. It dates back to 2019, when the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DIS) agent, Wilhelmina Maswabi, codenamed Butterfly, was arrested at one of the agency’s offices in Commerce Park, Gaborone. She was subsequently questioned and later suspended from duty. At the time, the state claimed her arrest was connected to an alleged P100 billion that was purportedly siphoned from the Bank of Botswana. The case also implicated several high-profile individuals, including South African businesswoman Bridgette Motsepe and the late former DIS Director-General Isaac Kgosi. Maswabi’s arrest sparked a protracted legal battle that lasted until 2021. Ultimately, South African advocate Gerrie Nel of AfriForum advised the state to drop the charges due to a lack of evidence.