Nthaile misinformed Ntlo Ya Dikgosi on Butterfly, Khama says
Larona Makhaiza | Friday January 30, 2026 16:26
The accusation was made by Bangwato paramount chief Kgosi Ian Khama today when he rose on a point of order when the House’s business of the day commenced. Khama said Nthaile, who was standing in for the Minister of State President, Defence and Security yesterday, lied before the House in his answer when he alleged that Maswabi has lost her defamation case against the State. In the House on Thursday, Nthaile had said the government would not apologise nor compensate the agent code named ‘Butterfly’ in the intelligence circles. “The government will not apologise to Butterfly,” the junior minister responded to Khama’s question on whether the aggrieved agent would be compensated. “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.”
Nthaile highlighted that they would not issue an apology on grounds that Butterfly has lost her defamation case. “It is however important to clarify that Ms Welheminah Maswabi pursued her own defamation claim against the State and several institutions through the courts. “The matter was fully heard by the High Court in Lobatse and was dismissed in its entirety, with costs,” he said. Less than 24 hours later after Nthaile provided his answer, Khama said the assistant minister was not truthful when addressing Ntlo Ya Dikgosi. “I rise on point of order to inform the House that yesterday when answering a question the assistant minister representing state president, misinformed this house when he claimed that Maswabi had lost her defamation or claim against the State and those who had been involved in the case were found not to have done anything wrong,” Khama told the House. “For the minister to have claimed that she (Maswabi) has lost her defamation case is a gross misleading of this honourable house because her defamation case has not even been heard yet. She has filed for defamation against the State and the first hearing of this will be on March 2nd, in about four weeks.”
Khama further lambasted the minister stating that, 'For the minister to have misled the house to say that she had lost the defamation case, I think it is grossly irresponsible”. In addition, Khama said Nthaile’s answer yesterday even caused greater harm to Maswabi and others who were impugned by the State. “The statement of the minister has caused Maswabi a lot of distress to hear the government going back saying that those who committed the offence are not guilty whereas the court ruled the allegations were false, fabricated and Hubona should be charged,” he said. “It would be unfortunate if the government of today who present themselves as the new Botswana should be seen to protect abusers because we thought that those days were over. There is no need to continue protecting and entrenching the wrongs that were done in the past,” Khama said. In light of this, Chairperson of Ntlo Ya Dikgosi, Kgosi Malope, accorded the minister who was present in the house to go and look into what Khama has said before he could respond.