So who is spying on the nation?

BAME PIET
Staff Writer | Friday May 7, 2010 00:00

 

He said that he only learnt about the impending suit in newspapers and said he knew absolutely nothing about it.He reiterated what he told Parliament recently that nobody's phone would be tapped without authority from the courts. 'I can't lie to Parliament, and I still stand by what I said to MPs that nobody's phone would be tapped without authority of the courts of law,' the minister said yesterday.

Seretse assured the House a few weeks ago that people are free to converse on their phones after MPs accused the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) of eavesdropping on people's conversations. However, he said that only people suspected of having links with criminal syndicates or activities have their phones tapped with warrants from court.

Attempts to get the High Court to confirm the number of applications for warrants made by the DIS were futile. Although the police have confirmed the lawsuit to the newspapers, Commissioner of Police, Thebeyame Tsimako would not speak to Mmegi yesterday afternoon, saying he was in a meeting.