DCEC power clash ensues
A power struggle at the corruption-busting agency – Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) - could be headed for a dangerous showdown as the top brass clash on access of offices and alleged removal of files.
Inside sources at the agency revealed this week that Acting Director General Tshepo Pilane is likely to demand answers regarding accessing of his office ‘illegally’ in his absence by one of his deputies.
The ongoing power struggle between Pilane and Deputy Director General Operations, Priscilah Israel is said to have reached its peak and in a surprise turn of events, Israel this week gained access to Pilane’s office without his knowledge. Israel is currently acting on behalf of Pilane from the 30th of May 2023 to the 3rd of June 2023 as he is on official duty in Angola.
Sources at DCEC have revealed that early this week a locksmith company (name withheld) was contracted to open Pilane’s office where it is alleged that some files were seized. It is alleged that Pilane only learnt that his office was entered “illegally” without his knowledge.
“The issue is even if the Director of Operations is acting on behalf of Pilane, there was no need to open his office where confidential files are kept. She could have undertaken such duties while still in her office given that the acting is only for this week. What happened amounts to burglary,” a source said, adding that if the matter is investigated internally the Deputy Director could find herself in trouble.
Pilane is said to have not taken kindly to the development. He was allegedly not briefed on why his office was opened. The duo has allegedly been eyeing the position of Director General once Tymon Katlholo who has been on suspension, is finally pushed out of the way. Pilane has been acting DG for a year now since the suspension of Katlholo.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi is expected to soon appoint a substantive Director General. It is not clear who between the two will get the position or if the president will invoke his prerogative to appoint someone else.
Interestingly, while the fight and mistrust gain momentum at the agency, Katlholo made appearance at the DCEC headquarters this Wednesday to do a handover following the termination of his contract with immediate effect. His contract ends on the 31st of August this year.
Katlholo last made appearance at the DCEC last year before he was slapped with a suspension in May that year. Coincidentally, the DG’s office is accessed in the same month as it happened last year when the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) opened the office to access some files and cordoned off the office as a crime scene. DCEC Spokesperson Lentswe Motshoganetsi could not be drawn into discussing details of accessing Pilane’s office without his authority, arguing that he is constrained by the Corruption and Economic Act.
He said he cannot get into the specifics of what prevailed at the DCEC due to the fact that it is an internal administrative issue not for public interest.
"However, please note that Ms Priscilah Israel was appointed Acting Director General from the 30th of May 2023 to June 2023 during Pilane's absence from office on international official duty. Therefore, any activity that she sanctions is within her powers as the Acting Director General," Motshoganetsi said when responding to enquiries from this publication.
He also confirmed the meeting with Katlholo which lasted until in the afternoon of Wednesday.
“As the outgoing DG he had to come and handover some of the properties of the Directorate. He was also to get some of his stuff that he left. It is the norm. From the Directorate the meeting was attended by myself, Acting DG and senior managers from the Corporate Services.
“From our part we are confident that everything went well in that meeting and there is nothing outstanding between us and Katlholo,” Motshoganetsi said when briefing the media after the meeting.
He explained that other things like how the issue of the contract will be handled and other related matters, are in the purview of the Office of the President.
Katlholo told Botswana Guardian in an interview that their meeting went well and he is leaving extremely a happy man. According to Katlholo he is happy with his work at the agency and as a person passionate about fighting corruption he will continue to do so.
“I am going back to where I was before I was appointed from retirement. I do not have any regrets whatsoever. The person I was before, it is the same I am and will continue to be. I am a man of integrity and professionalism.
“My contract has been terminated and I called the high office that I want to come and do the handover and the office then arranged which is why I went there today. Remember I was last at DCEC on the 16th of April 2022 and only had access to the premises today,” Katlholo said.
According to Katlholo he does not know what would happen with the disciplinary hearing he was to face. He said that lies with those who suspended him and revealed that he has a hearing pending. He said as for other cases they are still before the court. He confirmed that he is still forging ahead with his P2 million lawsuit against the state for defamation.
Katlholo has filed a lawsuit against the Attorney General, Advocate Abraham Keetshabe (who incidentally retired this week), Director General of Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) Peter Magosi, spy agency spokesperson Edward Robert, DCEC lead investigating officer Jet Mafuta, and acting Director General of DCEC Tshepo Pilane citing malicious and defamatory utterances by the abovementioned.
Other cases are the one of accessing files from his office which the court has ruled was illegal and the state has since appealed. Another case is that of contempt of court by the state after they refused to give Katlholo access to the files and have them taken to the court for custody.