Gov’t won’t apologise to Butterfly
Sharon Mathala | Friday January 30, 2026 06:14
Butterfly, an agent with the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), was reinstated to work in 2023.
Despite the issue being of national and international interest, no public explanation has been made to reconcile her reinstatement and the alleged serious crimes that she purportedly committed against the state.
Acting minister in the Ministry of State President, Defence and Security, Shawn Nthaile, revealed that the government's stance during a Ntlo Ya Dikgosi (NYD) session this week.
Nthaile was responding to a question posed by Bangwato Kgosi Ian Khama, who had asked whether Butterfly would be compensated for the ‘false statements made about her.’
“It is correct that the government issued a public apology and retraction in respect of Ambassador, Bridgette Motsepe. That apology followed a careful review of allegations contained in an affidavit deposed to in 2019 and reflects this Government’s commitment to accountability, fairness, and responsible governance,” Nthaile said when commenting on the matter for the first time.
“The government will not apologise to Butterfly. First Maswabi will not be compensated as the court did not find that the State or its institutions acted unlawfully towards her, nor did it award any damages arising from her claim.
“Government remains mindful of the personal and professional impact that prolonged legal and investigative processes can have on individuals. At the same, the government is bound to act within the framework of the law.”
The matter dates back to 2019 when Maswabi was arrested at one of the DIS’ 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 Khama, South African businesswoman Bridgette Motsepe, and 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.
In a scathing 2021 ruling, Justice Zein Kebonang found that the allegations against Maswabi were not only unfounded but fabricated.
Kebonang dismissed claims from the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime investigator Jako Hubona’s affidavit.
It had alleged that Maswabi was a signatory to multiple South African bank accounts linked to non-existent companies named Blue Files and Fire Files with balances exceeding $10 billion.
Justice Kebonang concluded that neither the accounts nor the companies existed, branding the accusations as “outright false”.