Khama has govt ‘by the balls’

 ‘I will deal with this weak govt’s blunders’

• ‘Masisi is running a very dishonest govt ever’ -Khama
• Swears to sue govt for the Butterfly case
• ‘There was never truth on that matter. It was all lies’
• Butterfly lawyers to oppose DPP request to drop charges

BAKANG TIRO

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

After the High Court of Gaborone ruled in his favor on Thursday, that government give him access to all modes of state transport and refund all his travel expenses incurred when he travelled to see the Dalai Lama in India in 2019, former President Ian Khama has vowed to sue government further.

Fighting back like a wounded tiger, Khama said he is determined to sue Botswana government for defamation of character together with those who have been drawn into the high profile case of the alleged P100 billion money laundering charges that were laid against former Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DIS) spy agent, Welheminah Maswabi, codenamed Butterfly.

Government suffered a debilitating blow against Khama this week in two separate matters one being the court ruling against government’s decision to deny Khama access to state resources when he travelled to meet exiled self proclaimed Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama in India, and government’s attempt to drop charges against Butterly.

On Tuesday the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) announced plans to withdraw the charges against Butterfly where she was accused of being in possession of resources beyond her means and a false passport.

In an interview, Khama told The Patriot on Sunday that he is gunning for Masisi led  government, saying that the administration used the case as plot to tarnish his image. He said there has never been truth in all the allegations that the government made against him. “It was all the politically motivated lies and a deliberate attempt to discredit me and the others mentioned to attempt to mislead the nation on the eve of the elections. I and all those that are mentioned in that criminally fabricated affidavit are going to sue this dishonest and discredited regime and in the process reveal who exactly was behind this criminality and will have to face the consequences of their unlawful actions,” replied Khama.

Also, Khama who is the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) Patron warned that the country’s image is in danger. “There will be huge reputational damage nationally and internationally as more and more of their illegal actions are revealed which will affect investment and the ratings alongside all the daily incompetence this nation is being subjected to. The butterfly case was all meant to sway voters but all their other illegal actions were meant to harass, intimidate and inconvenience us and many others, but have failed due to our resolve and the support from many people,” he said.

According to Khama, the criminal actions like these, being the mismanagement of the economy coupled with the incompetence and negligence’s in responding to Covid-19 pandemic is what’s makes president Masisi and his BDP Cava complicitors so deeply despised and unpopular in this nation.

In the P100 billion money laundering saga the state also fingered Khama alongside former DIS boss Isaac Kgosi and South African businesswoman Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe.

Asked about the plotted assassination claims by government that he raised to United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur for extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions (UNSR), Khama said that the government is not taking the matter lightly after the UN asked it to respond to claims.

“The fact is they have been caught out and they are in a big dilemma as to how to respond. So far their response has to try to mislead the public about what they are supposed to be doing in regard to their mandate whist shifting their culpability on to others,” added the confident Khama.

Masisi responds

Responding to a questionnaire sent to Masisi’s office, the Press Secretary to the President, Batlhalefi Leagajang stated: “His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Botswana is committed to due process of the law and does not interfere with the proceedings of oversight institutions. Additionally, the President does not proffer opinion on the operations of oversight institutions or outcomes of the deliberations of the Judiciary’’.

In addition, Leagajang said it is important to also note that all these institutions represent the state in their own right and mandate and can thus comment on their respective activities.

DPP humiliated

In an interview on Friday, Maswabi’s lawyer Unoda Mack said that the court is yet to grant the DPP opportunity to have charges against his client be dropped adding that he will oppose its plans.

“The DPP’s ambition to drop the charges against Maswabi is still a request that is before the court and their application for charges to be dropped has been postponed to 14^th September 2021. The DPP started all this matter and it must come on board to answer for it,” said Mack briefly.

The DPP lead Prosecutor experienced South African Advocate Gerrie Nel said that that their efforts have been thwarted in terms of gathering sufficient information needed on the case.

Gel says that some of the law enforcement agencies in Botswana have not been forthcoming to assist the DPP hence it was also important to drop the charges against Butterfly on the matter.

The State last year has been forced to drop the financing terrorism allegation against Maswabi.

DPP has in a numerous occasions failed to furnish the lawyers representing former DIS agent, Maswabi, with answers following a litany of questions sent to the prosecuting authority before.

Khama wins big

Meanwhile, Gaborone High Court Judge Gabriel Komboni has ordered the government to reimburse Khama for all the costs that he incurred in his private trip to Dalai Lama in 2019. Khama had sued the government over their refusal to provide him with transportation for his local and international trips (including the Dalai Lama trip), as per the Pensions and Retirement Act of 1998.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Komboni said it is declared that Masisi who is cited as the second respondent on the matter’s refusal to avail Khama the benefit of air travel during his travel to India from 8 to 12 March and per diem allowance was unlawful hence Khama must be reimbursed. “The second respondent (Mokgweetsi Masisi)’s refusal to avail the applicant (Khama) access to use of government owned modes of transportation, to wilt, aircraft transportation and in particular the 2^nd respondent’s refusal of the applicant’s written requests dated 19 March 2019, 17 April 2019, 18 April 2019, 11 June 2019 and 17 June are hereby reviewed and set aside,” said Komboni.