DIS chickens out of court case with Sebina brothers

The intelligence agency was disputing damages awarded to the Sebinas after they won against the Directorate in a civil suit for reputational damage and humiliation. The DIS had accused them of criminal dealings with former head of the Directorate, Isaac Kgosi. The brothers - Kegone, Tshepo and Ewetse - are directors of Estate Construction company. In the lawsuit, the DIS had failed to prove that the company had in the past won most government tenders suspiciously. After they were awarded millions of pula for humiliation and reputational damage, the DIS lodged an appeal challenging the quantum as excessively high.

The appeal was expected to be heard on Friday when the DIS decided to backtrack. In their lawsuit, the Sebina brothers and five others also alleged loss of business resulting from their blacklisting by the DIS in a court case heard in 2022. State attorney, Sifelani Thapelo appearing before Court of Appeal judges Isaac Lesetedi, Edwin Cameron and Johan Froneman said an agreement had been reached with Estate Construction and others to have the matter settled out of court. “We have reached and signed a memorandum of settlement and we would like it to be made the order of the court,” said the State attorney.