Botswana security agents raid newspaper offices

Security agents stormed the offices of Botswana Gazette newspaper Wednesday afternoon armed with a court warrant to confiscate computers of the organisation.

The newspaper’s publisher, Shike Olsen, said the warrant that the agents were carrying was vague and did not state what it was they were looking for, adding that the agents from the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) accompanied by those from the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) later retreated when confronted by the newspaper’s lawyers.

The newspaper’s lawyer, Joao Salbany foiled the operation by pointing out that the warrant did not state which computers were to be seized.MISA (Media Institute of Southern Africa) Botswana Director, Buyani Zongwani said the unfortunate drama happened three days after the country joined the rest of the world in commemorating World Press Freedom Day under the theme,‘Let journalism thrive! Towards better reporting, gender equality in the digital age’.

“How can journalism thrive when the so-called beacon of democracy in Africa violates press freedom recklessly!” wondered Zongwani, adding that MISA Botswana condemns the latest act by the country’s security agents, and calls upon the government of Botswana to respect press fredom.

The invasion of Botswana Gazette followed a statement earlier in the day by the DISS Director, Isaac Kgosi, rebutting stories in the newspaper last week and this week that a certain Jerry Chitube had been deported to Zambia because of alleged corruption deals between him and some members of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).