…says Khama of alleged threat on his life
- Former president says he has been routinely ignored
- Govt tells UN that Khama has not reported case to police
TEFO PHEAGE
Former president Ian Khama now wants an independent investigation into his alleged threat on his life because he has met with inaction whenever he reported the matter to authorities.
Speaking in an interview with The Botswana Gazette, the former president disclosed that when the top man of his security detail ignored his report of a threat to kill him, he approached a senior member of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) who promised that he would escalate the matter to President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
However, he says, this was also to no avail.
Khama, who does not see eye to eye with President Masisi, told The Gazette that when he learnt of his alleged plot to assassinate him, he immediately reported the matter to the head of his security seconded from the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Service (DISS) but he did not act on the former president’s report.
“I reported the matter to the head of my DIS security who is directly responsible for my safety with the obvious expectation that he would take the matter up with his superiors who in turn would investigate it themselves or with the police,” Khama said. “He chose not to even report it. I found that out when I asked him about it two weeks later.”
According to the former president, he subsequently “reported to a senior member of the BDP who expressed shock” and then also said he would inform President Masisi directly.
“Nothing came of that,” Khama emphasised.
Meanwhile, the government recently told the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions that Khama had not reported the case of his alleged threat to his life to the police for investigation as would be expected.
However, Khama says at page 6 paragraph 3 of the government’s letter to the UN body it is indicated that the government would look into the matter. “That can only be done by coming to me to ask what I knew by sending the police to me to investigate even if I never reported to anyone,” the former president asserted.
“That is their obligation. They chose not to. That should tell you what is going on and why for me I will now only accept an independent investigation.”