Former Botswana President Lt Gen Dr Ian Khama is demanding a formal apology from the government of Botswana, following a court ruling that compelled the state to retract false accusations made against South African businesswoman Bridget Motsepe in the infamous P100 billion scandal.
Khama says he and others implicated in the case including the late former spy chief Isaac Kgosi and ex-intelligence agent Wilhemina Maswabi deserve the same treatment as Motsepe, who successfully sued the state after being falsely linked to money laundering and financial terrorism.
In a landmark June ruling, the Lobatse High Court ordered the government to publish an apology and retraction in prominent international platforms including CNN, SABC, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Mmegi, and the official Government of Botswana website.
The apology followed revelations that the allegations were based on false evidence, including an affidavit by DCEC investigator Jako Hubona, who had claimed under oath that Motsepe was co-signatory to foreign bank accounts linked to the alleged heist. No such evidence materialized in court.
Khama argues that the damage done to reputations was not limited to Motsepe, and that Maswabi, in particular, was unjustly detained and publicly vilified.
“The first person who should have received the apology is Maswabi,” said Khama.
“She bore the brunt of the onslaught, being illegally detained and charged. She deserves significant compensation and justice through prosecution of those who tormented her.”
The government’s retraction statement acknowledged that the false allegations impugned others, including Khama, Maswabi, Kgosi, and several financial institutions. However, no direct apology has been issued to these parties.
