*PAC grills Magosi over conflict of interest
*DIS boss at pains justifying Tautona Lodge acquisition
*Committee told ‘vanished sheep’ are classified information
Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DIS) Director General Peter Magosi’s appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) last week would have been a routine accounting exercise, but the spy chief probably left wishing he had called in sick.
What unfolded instead was less of a committee hearing and more of a political thriller, complete with alleged honeymoon trips, classified sheep, and a luxury lodge that simply refuses to leave the headlines.
The ‘secret mission’ that wasn’t so secret
It was supposed to be a ‘covert operation’ stretching from Botswana to Mossad in Tel Aviv, Israel, through Nairobi, Kenya, and ending in Dubai.
A newlywed wife aboard, accompanied by two colleagues, made for a seemingly perfect smokescreen, but the PAC was not buying it.
Enemy of the state
With enemies ranging from over 100 disgruntled employees who have since taken their matters to court, several dismissed officers, and Botswana Defence Force soldiers, accompanied by their counterparts at Botswana Police Service, it’s clear that spy chief Brigadier Peter Magosi’s secrets were never safe.
Many of them apparently wished to see Magosi leave, either on retirement or through divine intervention, whichever comes first.
Adding to Magosi’s adversaries is former President Kgosi Khama IV of Bamangwato, who has vowed that he will never rest until Magosi is removed from office.
In the last four sittings of the 5th Ntlo ya Dikgosi, Khama has repeatedly questioned DIS operations, recruitment, promotions, and procurement activities.
The PAC and thousands of Batswana who watched the proceedings online were shocked at the revelations that were shared when Magosi appeared before the committee last Monday morning.
Armed with leaked information, PAC members bombarded the DIS boss with questions for which he was at pains to provide answers, even losing patience at some point.
The honeymoon that wasn’t
The disclosure of the controversial promotion of his wife and five others from the C2 to E1 scale was just the tip of the iceberg, as it emerged a few minutes later that the couple also travelled together to the aforementioned countries at taxpayer expense.
Magosi said it was for security reasons that he would not disclose his wife’s role and why they needed to travel together, compelling the committee to conclude that their trip was an extension of their honeymoon.
The P58 million Tautona Lodge
The controversial purchase of Tautona Lodge in 2021 by DIS will continue to haunt the intelligence agency for more years to come. Once again, Magosi was at pains to explain why the DIS paid P58 million for a property that was valued at just over P52 million.
He explained that the additional P6 million was VAT, to which MP for Molepolole South, Shima Monageng, a real estate expert, dismissed, explaining that property prices automatically include VAT.
Furthermore, the committee was not happy that the purchase was made from a former minister, who subsequently died by suicide in 2025.
Even more disturbing was the fact that Magosi purchased cattle from the former owner, Christiaan de Graaf, at P150,000.00.
The committee also wanted to know what had become of the wild animals that once roamed the property, but Magosi could only account for three lions as the rest remained as elusive as some of the PAC’s unanswered questions.
He maintained the property was acquired for intelligence training, covert operations, and to safeguard land needed for future national projects such as oil and water pipelines. The legislators were, however, barely persuaded.
P45 million sheep that vanished
The Director General was not happy with questions surrounding the alleged procurement of P45.1 million worth of Karakul sheep by the DIS, a matter he revealed was before the courts and that those who leaked the information were being prosecuted.
According to information in the public domain, the procurement was processed without normal documentation and outside government procedures and systems.
MP for Lobatse, Kamal Jacobs, wanted Magosi to explain what became of the 300 imported Karakul sheep, and whether it is true that the DIS have acquired Chwai Farm near Zoroga village.
The DG said for security reasons, the information was not for public consumption, only revealing that the sheep procurement was a security operation and that the information was classified.
The FMD mystery
The committee also sought answers about an email allegedly threatening to spread Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) through Botswana Meat Commission operations.
Magosi said investigators had “a good idea where we are going” with the investigation.
He hinted that preliminary findings pointed to negligence that allowed the disease to spread into a paddock at Ramatlabama Farm where imported U.S. cattle were kept.
It has however, since emerged that investigators have found no evidence linking the threatening email to the actual outbreak.
The P100 billion saga
The matter did not exclusively involve DIS, but several government security organs. “Funds have disappeared and being traced – It could be less, it could be more up until investigations have been completed. We have established some of the funds where they went, but the process of recovering them is complex,” Magosi said.
Cyberbullies and drugs
The legislators also wanted answers about anonymous social media bullies known as “Muzeveni” and “Happy Omang”. The DG said Botswana Police have engaged Facebook on the matter, but it is a futile exercise since an account can be replaced a few minutes after deletion.
He acknowledged that they are working with BPS to fight drug trafficking but noted that eliminating drug circulation remains a huge challenge.
Promotion of Mrs. Magosi
In a heated exchange with the DIS boss, outspoken Bamalete MP, Boniface Mabeo, shot down Magosi’s justification for his wife’s promotion, arguing it amounted to conflict of interest. Magosi argued she and five others were disgruntled officers who trained as officer cadets at the Botswana Police Service and deserved progression. “They were disgruntled since their colleagues at BPS and BDF were progressing to higher ranks. The promotion was justified,” the DIS DG argued.
The PAC, however, was not impressed.
