How the taxpayer got robbed

Khama, IK abused the black budget-claims

Details of how Government was swindled out of billions of pulas that have allegedly landed in South African Business woman, Bridget Motsepe and Hilton Lerato, a Motswana suspected to be spy agent; Welhmina Maswabi’s personal accounts have been exposed.

An affidavit seen by The Voice from Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) states that, “More charges will be added to the indictment once the investigations are complete. The starting point of the investigation was instigated by a report received pertaining to the information that on the 9th June 2008 three (3) Special Unit Accounts were created by Bank of Botswana under the instruction of the former president Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama and the then Director General of Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services Mr Isaac Kgosi.”

The state further alleges that the former President may have abused his office by instructing the Bank of Botswana to open three accounts, stuffed with money from the black budget, monies which were subsequently used for illegal activities. The accounts were opened as far back as July 2009.

“It is alleged that on the 20th July 2009, the balance for one of the accounts stood at BWP1 790 500 000.00 at 14:32:23 (CAT) while an amount of BWP107 578 532.74 was transferred to HSBC Bank in Hong Kong. The reference was to purchase intelligence equipment,” the affidavit states.

A black budget can be described as a government budget that is allocated for classified or other secret operations.

The black budget is an account expenses and spending related to military research and covert operations and is mostly classified due to security reasons.

According to the affidavit the Accountant General has stated that the creation of these three accounts was not in accordance with the law as they were created without the Accountant General’s knowledge.

“It is clear to the Court that the amount of money involved is more than our country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). And it is imperative that this money be recovered and used for the good of every citizen of the Republic of Botswana. This is a clear case of national security,” the state has claimed

Meanwhile through her lawyers in court Maswabi who has been accused of funding terrorism activities has argued that the case deals with matters affecting Isaac Kgosi and Dr. Seretse Khama Ian Khama and not her and therefore pleaded to be absolved unless the state could produce concrete evidence to prove wrongdoing on her part.

THE BULL AND L- WONDER STORY

The state further alleges that Maswabi and Kgosi were not only accomplices in the commission of offences but were also lovers.

“All the trips they made together were for purposes of accomplishing their love affair and their secret missions in commission of offences. As our evidence (Annexure ‘E’) indicates that the applicant is referred as “L wonder” and Mr Isaac Kgosi is known as the “Bull”.”

“If granted bail the applicant will abscond and join her boyfriend and associate Mr Isaac Kgosi who is currently a fugitive of justice whose whereabouts are unknown,” state prosecutor said.

In court however Butterfly looked calm and unruffled by the unfolding saga. Even when the whole courtroom erupted in shock at the huge amounts of money stolen ‘butterfly’ did not flinch or react.