In a defamation lawsuit that has been filed by suspended spy agent, Welheminah Mphoeng Maswabi- codenamed Butterfly, she has hit back at statements by the state that she had a love relationship with her former boss, Isaac Kgosi.
In papers filed before the Lobatse High court last week, Butterfly has filed a P30 million defamation suit.
The spy agent whose most serious charge of financing terrorism has since been withdrawn by the state with the option to reinstate, argues that accusations leveled against her by the were not only false but deliberately fabricated.
Butterfly further tells the court that the state prosecutors knew that their statement would be widely publicized by the media because of the high-profile nature of the accusations.
One such accusation was that the once highly reputed agent had a love relationship with her boss.
Her court papers read in part: “The statements are in their natural meaning per se defamatory to the plaintiff (Butterfly). These statements mean, and were intended to mean, and were understood by members of the public that the plaintiff is guilty of adultery and was involved in an adulterous relationship with her senior, Isaac Kgosi,”
“These statements are false and were deliberately made and published by the defendants maliciously and with the nefarious intent to defame the plaintiff,” she further argues.
“The plaintiff (Butterfly) never had a love relationship with Isaac Kgosi,” further read the court papers.
Back on October 29th, 2019, the state through the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) shocked the courtroom when they told the court that Butterfly and Kgosi were lovers.
“Butterfly was sleeping in the same room with Isaac Kgosi when on international trips. She was controlling DISS. In one of the emails we have extracted, the email reads: ‘evening my love, thank you for the surprise this afternoon I know you surely enjoyed, please transfer 48 million to our reference’,” DPP lead prosecutor Priscilla Israel told the court during her submissions.
The case continues. Butterfly still has a pending criminal case before the regional court.
In the P100 billion saga the case has also fingered former president Ian Khama as well South African Businesswoman Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe.
Motsepe-Radebe has also launched a defamation suit against the Government of Botswana.
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sharonm@thevoicebw.com