Spy chief probed for abuse of office
The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has opened yet another high profile corruption case, this time involving the Director General of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services, Peter Magosi.
The Voice can exclusively reveal that Magosi is being probed on allegations of abuse of office, a case with a potential to add more related charges as the web continues to grow.
The Director General of the DCEC, Brigadier Joseph Mathambo confirmed this to The Voice this week but would not disclose more details.
“My office has received such allegations; we will let you know once we have concluded everything,” Mathambo said.
However Information reaching this publication has indicated that Magosi attracted the attention of the corruption busting agency after DIS blocked a P1.8 billion water reticulation project and the Moshupa Primary hospital tenders, one of which was initially awarded to China state owned company, China Jiangsu for alleged security reasons.
Although China Jiangsu this week lost with costs, its last bid to seek an interdict of the two projects which were subsequently awarded to its rival, Zhentel, the Judge in his ruling stated that, “The third respondent (Ministry of Land Management Water and Sanitation Services) received a note from the Directorate of Intelligence and Security notifying it that the applicant (China Jiangsu) was a threat to national security and that the tender which the subject of dispute should not be awarded to it. In the first instance the note itself has no evidentiary value, as it is simply a letter from one government department addressed to another containing advice relating to the conduct of a bidder to an important government tender. It makes allegations of an extremely serious nature with no supportive documentation in affidavit form to substantiate the allegations.”
Commenting on the matter, a highly placed source close to the investigation who did not want to be named said, “It’s a whole web and the DCEC is still trying to put the pieces together. The question is why the DG (Magosi) would say that the Chinese company is a security threat whilst it is not?”
Meanwhile another insider at the Office of the President (OP) told The Voice that President Mokgweetsi Masisi was under pressure to clear his name with the Chinese Government, which has been tainted by Magosi’s accusation against China Jiangsu.
“The Chinese are not amused that their name has been tarnished by the government of Botswana when they recently gifted Masisi P60 million on behalf of the country. The President did confirm recently, speaking at a BDP candidate launch in Mogoditshane that the Chinese government had donated a few millions to assist Botswana,” claimed the insider.
The Maun Water Reticulation project worth P1.8 billion was withdrawn due to the DIS letter and instead awarded to Zhentai, a Chinese private owned company.
Three weeks ago, the spy chief had maintained in an interview that relations between Botswana and China remain intact despite the court ruling.
“ What is happening between us and our counterpart in China I cannot discuss, but I can assure you that the judgment will not harm our relations,” Magosi had said and refused to comment any further on the case citing, “ privileged information.”
This week Magosi’s phone was not available to comment on his investigations by the DCEC.
Twitter: @sharonmathala
Email: sharonm@thevoicebw.com
