Former Permanent Secretary to the President, Carter Morupisi, has accused the government of ill-treating him and launching a campaign against him through a criminal case currently before the Gaborone High Court.
Reliving his ordeal in an exclusive interview with The Voice at his house in Malaka village on Tuesday, Morupisi said he was disappointed in the manner in which he was treated towards the end of his final contract.
He said although he was disappointed to be suspended, he had been expecting it. “There’s a provision in the Public Service Act that deals with such matters. Once you’re facing criminal charges, the issue of suspension falls into place,” said Morupisi.
Clad in blue overalls, the once most powerful civil servant cut a lonely figure as he thought back to days leading to his arrest, suspension, and subsequent dismissal.
“First I was given six months by President Masisi to wind up from my official residence, but when the issue of me wanting to hold a press conference arose, he changed his mind and ordered me out of the house within a week. It was a bit surprising,” Morupisi said.
The former PSP said he was mistreated by a government he’d served for 37 years and treated like a common criminal.
He said he was led to prison in handcuffs and leg irons and upon inquiry, no explanation was given as he was neither resisting but obeying orders as given by prison officials.
“Quite frankly when you’re in a position where you’re humble and giving in to orders, it’s brutal for people to treat you in such a manner, and it is not allowed. That was the most disturbing treatment I received,” he said.
Morupisi says he still has no idea why the President hurried him out of this official residence and prevented his press conference.
“I can only speculate that he feared that I planned to say things that I was not supposed to say,” said Morupisi.
Were the President’s fears justified though. Did the PSP know too much to worry the President?
By his own admission, Morupisi said in his line of duty he has been exposed to a lot of government secrets through the many committees he sat in. These include the Defence Council and Central Intelligence Committee. Despite this the disgraced former PSP is quick to point out that he’ll never hold the nation at ransom as he’s a loyal and patriotic citizen.
“Why would I undress the country in public? I’m duty-bound not to disclose the government’s top secrets because some of them are matters of security issues. Revealing these secrets may predispose the country to danger,” highlighted an animated Morupisi.
“What is without a doubt however is that my case is a witch hunt. Its history is quite complex and not as simple as most people think. There are a lot of underlying currents to it, but I don’t have the liberty to talk about it because it is sub judice,” he said.
Morupisi said he last met and spoke to President Masisi after his embarrassing arrest where he had frank one on one with him.
“It was a tough but very genuine discussion in which I related my message to him very well. I was not asking for protection from him, but I said what needed to be said,” revealed Morupisi.
Despite his long service in government, Morupisi was quick to point out that he does not miss the civil service.
“When I leave an office I don’t look back. I leave everything to those who’ve taken over,” he concluded brusquely.
