DCEC probes Magosi

As he prepares to leave the public service in three months to pursue his farming passion, Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) Director General Brigadier (Rtd) Peter Magosi may not fade quietly from the public eye.His name could continue to surface—this time under scrutiny—should investigations find him on the wrong side of the law.On Wednesday this week, the Director General of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC), Botlhale Makgekgenene, revealed that the agency is investigating the DIS and its head honcho, Magosi. She stated that they have several cases against Magosi and that two (2) are near completion.“We are investigating high-profile officials. The Act gives me powers to investigate. We are reinforcing and strengthening the autonomy of the DCEC. We have cases against Magosi,” Makgekgenene told the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday this week.She said they have turnaround times of investigation ranging from six months to 24 months. She indicated that in one of the cases they concluded that there was insufficient evidence.According to Makgekgenene, there is also an active investigation in relation to procurement at Air Botswana. The DIS is currently locked in legal and disciplinary processes against some of its officers regarding procurement of aircraft at Air Botswana, where they implicate their boss.“Being at peace doesn’t mean we do an investigation. The file they took is theirs. There was one file relating to procurement which had to do with the DCEC that has to do with encryption.There were more than one file taken. It was chaos at the time; there could be more than one or more than two,” Makgekgenene said in response to a question from MP for Maun East, GoretetseKekgonegile. Kekgonegile concluded that the case against Magosi could not be closed because the file was seized by the DIS.Should Magosi be charged and brought to the dock, this could also spark debate on the powers of the directorate’s leaders.According to intelligence experts, this will send a wrong message that DIS Director Generals are untouchable while in power and can only be prosecuted once they vacate office.This will also raise questions of accountability and transparency when a DIS boss is in office in an organisation that has caused many Batswana anxiety.A member of the PAC, Motlhaleemang Moalosi, also MP for Nkgange, expressed concern that this could set a bad precedent that such powerful officers are only targeted once they vacate office.He mentioned the late DIS founding boss, Isaac Kgosi, who only attracted prosecution when he left office.While acknowledging smoking the peace pipe with the DIS, Makgekgenene said the DIS had no right to close and seal the office of the DCEC Director General at the time, as per the events and the judgement that was granted. “From the events categorically, it is clear there was interference. Unfortunately, I was not there. When I joined DCEC, there was a lot of interference by DIS, which was perceived and real.I spoke to the DIS DG, and there is no more interference. Everyone is keeping their lane,” Makgekgenene told the committee.The DIS and the DCEC got into confrontation when, in May 2022, the DIS raided the headquarters of the DCEC in Gaborone, locking and sealing the offices of then-Director General Tymon Katlholo and a senior official.The high-profile confrontation centred on a bitter battle over sensitive corruption investigation dockets and files, a case that resulted in the files being ordered under lock and key of the Registrar of the High Court.The developments relating to the DIS and having its leaders investigated and prosecuted put the ruling party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), under scrutiny on its promise to reform the agency.The UDC, which has never hidden its stance on the DIS being a rogue institution and promising to dismantle it and since gone into hiding, contending that it is working on a process to rehabilitate the agency and restore public confidence.While the current administration has promised the voters to dismantle the DIS, in its two (2) years in office nothing tangible has transpired.During his appearance before the PAC, Magosi indicated that he had communicated with the DCEC to speed up all investigations against him. Magosi expressed confidence that there has never been any wrongdoing on his part.He explained that in the controversial matter where they locked the DCEC office of the Director General, it was done on a security basis.Makgekgenene told the committee that corruption is an insidious crime found in all countries. It impacts developing countries. She said it is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain or otherwise.“It is a failure of governance and accountability. It is where ethical leadership does not exist or is lacking. It is a governance and development challenge. It requires national response,” Makgekgenene told the PAC.She said there are 14 high-profile cases submitted to DPP for assessment of evidence and possible prosecution. Seven cases are before the court, where some are for forfeiture.She said in 2023 when she joined DCEC, it was going through a lot of turmoil, and there was too much toxicity.“I found an organisation that was hurting, and I have successfully managed to stabilise it at 80 per cent. My relationship with my Deputy Director General Operations, Thabo Malambane, is good. We are in a good place. We have differences, and where we do not agree, I take precedence as the Director General,” she said.

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DCEC probes Magosi