DIS, DPP and DCEC heads must fall
Mmegi Editor | Friday November 29, 2019 11:49
The South African institutions named in the controversial case are drilling gaping holes in the case. The companies alleged to be involved do not exist; the bank accounts in the banks allegedly holding staggering amounts of money in which she is alleged to be a signatory do not exist; the preliminary digital forensic report dismissed the purported email exchanges between Maswabi and ex-spy chief Isaac Kgosi as hoax.
No need to repeat the charges faced by Maswabi but they are very serious charges. It is alleged that Ian Khama and Kgosi instructed Bank of Botswana (BoB) to open three bank accounts that were used to syphon public funds amounting to over P100 billion.
The nation was left with too many questions last week when the State decided not to oppose her bail application and submitted that they would like the former president Ian Khama as their witness.
In law when one makes an assertion, for instance that the bank accounts do not exist, or they are a forgery, and you do not deny the assertion, then it's deemed to be true. By not dealing with the allegations in the Butterfly case, the State was deemed to accept that its entire case was a fraudulent and well orchestrated scheme by the various government institutions: the DIS, Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), with the blessing of the President's Office.
The decision not to oppose bail was disingenuous, a desperate attempt at a cover-up. Do not accuse people of theft and when they call your bluff, you then want them to cut another false deal with you to cover your tracks. They said the former president instructed that bank accounts be opened yet they do not need him to prove that. Banks have relationship managers that are assigned to do these things. It is information that can easily be verified if the allegations were in fact true. Bank of Botswana also says there were never any instructions and that such accounts do not exist.
The DIS, DCEC and DPP cabal must resign or be prosecuted for falsifying documents and cooking up evidence. Botswana has overnight become a laughing stock because of a few vindictive men and women holding positions at these strategic institutions.
And what about the DPP’s application to hold the case in camera following security forces’ stunts every time the poor woman goes for mention?
We submit that the State was trying to conceal evidence from the public. Tyrants do that to hide the truth. They knew in open court everyone would know. The best strategy was to prosecute the poor woman by public opinion with a compliant judiciary.
If these directors do not resign, President Mokgweetsi Masisi must fire them as a matter of urgency.
The President has been privy to this scandalous human rights and constitutional abuse because a case like this one is discussed at the Central Intelligence Committee and the direction is given by the President as the chairperson. If he doesn't fire this cabal it will show that he was also involved in the fabrication of evidence against a fellow Motswana.
Today’s thought
“Botswana remains committed to uphold the shared values of democracy, good governance, the rule of law and the respect for human rights.”
-President Mokgweetsi Masisi