The Minister of Justice, Ronald Shamukuni, disclosed last week that the Office of the Receiver was safeguarding assets and properties worth approximately P165 million as of the end of January 2024.
These assets, obtained from individuals suspected of criminal involvement in activities such as money laundering and corruption, encompass various items such as immovable properties, live animals, vehicles, and bank accounts.
Shamukuni emphasized, “This represents a noticeable increase from the previous year’s figure of P136.8 million, underscoring the effectiveness of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions in securing proceeds and instruments of crime.”
However, he acknowledged persistent challenges in storage and the high cost of maintaining restrained properties under receivership due to prolonged litigation, hindering their disposal.
Additionally, Shamukuni highlighted an increase in the total funds forfeited to the state within the Confiscated Assets Trust Fund, which now stands at P6.4 million compared to the previous year’s P2.8 million. “The Confiscated Assets Trust Fund may be used to compensate and rehabilitate victims of crime and for capacity-building and training programs for law enforcement agencies involved in the fight against crimes such as money laundering, racketeering, and terrorism financing,” he stated.
Shamukuni noted that P754,000 was disbursed from the Confiscated Assets Trust Fund to compensate a victim of the offense of obtaining by false pretenses.
Regarding management strategies, Shamukuni mentioned that the Office of the Receiver, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other law enforcement agencies, has developed a Manual and Guide for the management and disposal of frozen, seized, and confiscated properties declared by the courts as proceeds of crime and terrorist assets in Botswana. He explained, “The Manual is expected to provide guidance on the efficient management of the proceeds and instruments of crime and terrorist assets.”
