In what intelligence sources say may be a strategic move to shield assets from scrutiny, former president Mokgweetsi Masisi is allegedly making moves to liquidate his livestock ahead of the impending forensic probe. Staff Writer TEFO PHEAGE reports
Former president Mokgweetsi Masisi is attracting the attention of some in the law enforcement agencies by allegedly offloading his livestock before the forensic audit into his financial affairs starts.
Sources say Masisi’s decision to liquidate his livestock raises questions as it could be a strategic move to shield assets from scrutiny.
But Masisi denied this when The Botswana Gazette reached out to him on the matter. “I recently had a kraal sale of no more than 40 cattle at the most,” said the former president. “The small stock sold was less than 20 and I cannot consider this as offloading by any measure.
“These are done publicly…”
“In any event, these are done publicly and are open to any interested buyer. Payments are processed through the bank, except for the few who pay in cash. I still have to do a full reconciliation as I was away on one of the days of the sale.
“I can assure you there is no attempt to avoid or deceive anything or anybody. For slaughter animals, I usually sell to the BMC who process their payments through the bank too. This year I have not yet sold to the BMC as I traditionally do.”
This publication has established that Masisi has tasked his older brother, Brigadier Thulaganyo Masisi (rtd), to oversee the sales.
“People sell all the time”
Asked about the development, the retired general stated: “What business do people have when we sell that which belongs to us? Is there anything wrong in selling your livestock? People sell all the time. Do you ever write that they are selling their livestock?”
Nevertheless, an intelligence source has informed this publication that former president Masisi recently sold sheep, goats and cattle at Mmatseta, a village near Kopong and Mmopane in the Kweneng District.
A known breeder, Masisi has previously been linked to controversial government cattle deals, including a contentious purchase of bulls from the United States. However, his government always maintained that everything was done above board and for the benefit of Batswana.
Immunity from prosecution
His name has recently resurfaced in legal disputes with allegations that he used state resources and misappropriated intellectual property for personal gain.
One such case involves specialist cattle breeder, Peter Chiepe, who has taken legal action against Masisi in a joinder application following the electoral defeat of Masisi and his Botswana Democratic Party in October last year.
Chiepe has said he is able to mount the suit because Masisi no longer enjoys presidential immunity. “He could not be sued when I instituted this action as he enjoyed immunity from prosecution by virtue of being president,” he said. “After he lost the elections, he consequently lost the immunity he had by virtue of that position.”
Personal gain
In his supporting affidavit, Chiepe stated that Masisi did not only plagiarise his intellectual property but also copied and implemented it for his personal gain at his farms. By so doing, Chiepe added, Masisi not only acted illegally but also abused his office and acted corruptly.
“Using his position, Masisi frustrated all efforts for an amicable solution and went out of his way to destroy and kill my business,” Chiepe asserted in his court application.
He accused Masisi of instructing the Ministry of Agriculture to import bulls from the USA, which allegedly resulted in Chiepe’s financial losses exceeding P60 million.
Compensation
Chiepe and his companies – Champrimo Botswana, Trilobite Holdings, and Impact Technologies – have filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Agriculture, the former deputy permanent secretary to the president Elias Magosi, and former president Masisi himself, demanding compensation for damages suffered due to the National Livestock Transformation Programme.
It is not yet known whether Masisi has responded to Chiepe’s claims.
As the forensic audit looms, Masisi’s decision to offload his livestock continues to fuel speculation, with critics questioning whether the sales are a strategic move to shield assets from scrutiny.