DCEC officers face the heat as P100bn scandal takes new twist
DPP says there is clear evidence of perjury
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Kgosietsile Ngakaagae, has confirmed that his office is in the final stages of deciding whether to prosecute officers from the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (DCEC) for perjury as demanded by former President Ian Khama over the controversial P100 billion theft scandal.
Addressing the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today, Ngakaagae said the officers authored a falsified affidavit that resulted in the DPP prosecuting Khama, former DIS Director General Isaac Kgosi, and Wilheminah ‘Butterfly’ Maswabi for the alleged crime.
Ngakaagae said there is clear evidence that perjury was committed, noting that even during his time as a private attorney, he visited numerous government offices connected to the matter but found no evidence to support claims that P100 billion had been stolen from government coffers through the central bank.
“The decision on whether the matter is a private prosecution or a public prosecution will be taken in a month or two, but we are going to prosecute the individuals for perjury. I have taken a decision that this matter should be dealt with and resolved, and a final decision has to be taken. Those implicated will be given an opportunity to tell their side of the story,” he said.
The P100 billion case attracted international attention after several prominent figures outside Botswana were implicated in the alleged scheme.
South African businesswoman and diplomat Brigette Motsepe was mentioned among some individuals who facilitated the movement of the funds through some banks in South Africa, the United Kingdom and North America.
Attorney General Dick Bayford told the PAC that the government is challenging the R80 million legal fees and incidental expenses demanded by Motsepe’s legal team at the High Court, arguing that the amount is excessive.
He said that as per the 2025 Lobatse High Court order, the government has published court-ordered apologies to several news agencies abroad and locally and has since paid over P550,000.00 to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) to publish the apology.
Furthermore, he said that CNN International editorial policy does not allow for the airing of paid apology advertisements, leaving that aspect of the court order still unresolved.
