The erstwhile notorious Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) has reportedly suspended two of its senior managers suspected of leaking confidential information.
It is understood that such information relates to, among others, secret leaks relating to the transfer of 100 officers across the country and high-profile cases.
Gathered is that the two officers have been slapped with indefinite suspensions and are likely to face disciplinary action which could result in criminal charges being laid against them.
A Director Internal, Intelligence Officer and Assistant Director, Science and Technology. All suspended it is understood, are deemed to be undermining the integrity of the DIS and that of Director Peter Magosi.
Under the DIS Act, publishing identities and particulars of agents of the directorate is an offence.
The names of intelligence officers who were allegedly earmarked for transfers across different stations across the country were recently leaked to the media and social media.
It is understood that following the incident, an internal inquiry was conducted and two senior officers were reportedly linked to the leaking of confidential information to the public and the media.
It has also emerged that following the leaking of transfer of officers to members of the public, the directorate took a decision to redeploy at least 50 officers to the ministry responsible for tourism. There are even claims that some officers were considering challenging the decision to be transferred or redeployed to other government departments in large numbers.
Contacted for a comment, DIS spokesperson Edward Robert was non-committal.
“The Directorate does not comment on allegations made about matters that border on internal and administrative operations,” he said.
This publication sought to know among others if the Directorate was still considering transferring some of its agents after those plans were leaked even before they came into effect.
Former Director of DIS Isaac Kgosi faces charges on an ongoing case after he was accused of allegedly leaking photos and names of agents of the directorate in line of duty to the media to publish.
The officers were allegedly being transferred after it emerged that they were leaking confidential information. But before they could be transferred, a list of their names and identities was leaked to the public, something that intelligence sources say amounted to national security breach.
There are even claims that the decision to leak the names of the intelligence officers has brought the name of Botswana into disrepute. Intelligence sources claim that some countries have raised questions about the country’s capability to handle sensitive intelligence information that is shared among countries through diplomatic channels.
But this is not the first time that identities of security agents have been leaked. During Kgosi’s era at the helm of the organisation, an organisation that identified itself as Asparagus hacked into DIS system and shared the identities of security agents.
