- Urges Masisi, Magosi to apologise to the nation
- Says they wish to sue the perpetrators in their personal capacity
STAFF WRITER
Former president Ian Khama, has urged President Mokgweetsi Masisi and Botswana’s top spy Brigadier Peter Magosi to “swallow their pride and apologise to the nation following Maswabi’s reinstatement”.
Khama was co-accused with DISS agent Whelheminah ‘Butterfly’ Maswabi and others of siphoning P100 billion off the Bank of Botswana in a series of cases that the state lost.
Long overdue
Maswabi – better known as “Butterfly” from the court cases that held the nation’s attention for a protracted length of time – was recently reinstated after she was acquitted of all charges that included financing of terrorism, possession of unexplained property and false declaration for a passport.
Khama has described her “long overdue” reinstatement as “the only alternative since nothing left could sustain the lie”.
“We said it that a time will come when the lie will no longer be sustainable and that time has arrived,” he said. “What is left now is for Masisi and Magosi to apologise, not to us, but the nation.
“As for us, we will meet in court. They will tell us why they had to lie through our names. It is just a pity that once again it is the public’s hard earned money which will be used to pay for the defamation.”
Khama added that Maswabi got into trouble when she allegedly refused to implicate the former president and founding head of DISS, Isaac Kgosi when pressured to do so by Magosi.
“I am happy for her”
“She was harassed, abused and treated like a hardcore criminal and throughout all these, Magosi and Masisi knew she was innocent.”
Asked how he feels about Maswabi’s reinstatement, Khama responded: “I am happy for her and sad at the same time. No innocent citizen should go through what she went through at the hands of state leadership.”
He took the opportunity to advise Maswabi to remain well-behaved and loyal to the state despite what she has gone through, saying she should give herself time to heal and rebuild trust.
HSBC Bank in Hong Kong
However, Khama said Maswabi’s reinstatement does not in any way stop them from suing for defamation. “We are continuing with our suits,” he asserted. “If they pressure or convince Maswabi to pardon them, its fine but we her co-accused are continuing with our suits.”
Khama was accused with Kgosi and Maswabi of transferring some of the funds to HSBC Bank in Hong Kong and leading South African banks. The rest, it was alleged, was pumped into offshore accounts.
Botswana and South African central banks long dismissed the claims as false.