- Minister says this is in assets taken from people suspected of criminal involvement
- Funds forfeited to the state stand at P6.4m compared to P2.8m a year ago
- Minister extols DPS for effectiveness in securing proceeds and instruments of crime
GAZETTE REPORTER
Since the end of January 2024, the Office of the Receiver is safeguarding assets and properties valued at approximately P165 million, the Minister of Justice, Ronald Shamukuni, has said.
Speaking at Parliament before the Committee of Supply for Office of the Receiver last week, the minister said these assets were acquired from individuals suspected of criminal involvement in activities such as money laundering and corruption and are in the form of various items such as real estate, livestock, vehicles and bank accounts.
“This represents a noticeable increase from the previous year’s figure of P136.8 million, indicating the Directorate of Public Prosecution’s effectiveness in securing proceeds and instruments of crime,” he said.
Prolonged litigation
However, the minister acknowledged persistent challenges of storage and the high cost of maintaining restrained properties under receivership due to prolonged litigation, hindering their disposal.
Minister Shamukuni also noted an increase in total funds forfeited to the state within the Confiscated Assets Trust Fund, which now stand at P6.4 million compared to the previous year’s P2.8 million.
“The Confiscated Assets Trust Fund may be used to compensate and rehabilitate victims of crime and for capacity-building and training programmes for law enforcement agencies involved in combating crimes such as money laundering, racketeering, and terrorism financing,” he said.
Shamukuni stated that P754,000 was disbursed from the Confiscated Assets Trust Fund to compensate a victim of the offence of obtaining by false pretenses.
UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Regarding management strategies, Shamukuni said the Office of the Receiver, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other law enforcement agencies, has developed a Manual and Guide for the management and disposal of frozen, seized, and confiscated properties declared by the courts as proceeds of crime and terrorist assets in Botswana.
“The manual is expected to provide guidance on the efficient management of the proceeds and instruments of crime and terrorist assets,” he noted.