Mmegi

The P1 billion cost of corruption

Cash
Cash

The economy lost close to P1 billion in both public and private sector corruption between 2020 and 2024, estimates by the country dirty money watchdog show, the first such figures ever released in the country. During that period, the country fell on the authoritative Corruption Perceptions Index from 35th out of 180 countries in 2020 to 43rd out of 180 countries in 2024.

The National Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment Report released last week by the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBIFRA), provides a historical first estimate of the cost of corruption in the country.

“Corruption was identified as one of the prevalent money-laundering threats in the country,” researchers said. “The crime generated substantial illicit proceeds and enabled criminals to exploit public institutions and conceal the movement of illegal funds.”

Editor's Comment
Let the courts follow the money

“Law and order are the medicine of the body politic and when the body politic gets sick, medicine must be administered.”– B.R. AmbedkarThe amount of money at play threatens to test the integrity of the country’s financial system, giving more reason to why the courts must be fully given leeway to lean on the matter and reach a conclusion.Botswana has spent decades building her reputation as a stable and credible financial jurisdiction.The...

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