The Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DIS) may be called to testify against its former Director General Isaac Kgosi after it emerged that he lied in order to divert P250 million from the planned construction of Petroleum Storage Facilities.
The Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) at its next appearance in court is expected to add Kgosi and former Minister Sadique Kebonang to the list of money laundering accused persons.
State Prosecutor Tyron Mokgathong told Magistrate Gaseitsiwe Tonoki two weeks ago, that the state intends to amend the charge sheet by adding more accused persons and committing the matter before the High Court. Mokgathong said that he will not name the additional accused persons as they are yet to be served, but pleaded with the court to give the state a period of three months to November 29th 2018, to compile all documentation needed for the additional accused persons and the process of preparing to commit the case before the High Court.
Kgosi is understood to have lied in a letter to Permanent Secretary In the ministry of Minerals and Energy stating that priorities have since changed following the new security threats that the country was facing.
“…following our allocation of P250 million we have been continuously assessing reports and closely monitoring the country’s dire threats in conjunction with our “Intelligence National threat assessment Document.” Our assessment has since revealed that the greatest threats to the security of our economy is the intensified wildlife poaching, human and drug trafficking. Monitoring of these threats requires sophisticated security equipment and advanced surveillance capabilities. In light of the above, we request for variation of the intended usage of the approved BWP 250 million to acquisition of security and surveillance equipment in order to address this detrimental threat to the country’s economy,” wrote Isaac Kgosi.
Sunday Standard has turned up information that there was never a Intelligence National threat assessment Document which revealed that the greatest threats to the security of Botswana is the intensified wildlife poaching, human and drug trafficking.
The variation and diversion of funds goes against the stipulated guidelines of payment from the National Petroleum Fund.
The money was diverted after Public Procurement and asset Disposal Board had declined a request by DIS Kgosi to directly appoint design and construction of the storage tanks without going for tender.
It has also emerged that at the time Kgosi asked for money from the Petroleum Fund allegedly to build Petroleum Storage facilities, he was already in talks with Dignia Services to procure intelligence equipment from them. The money from the Botswana Petroleum Fund was subsequently illegally diverted to pay for the equipment from Dignia Services.
Mordechi Bareshi, the Vice President of Dignia Systems deposed an affidavit before the DCEC that they have been dealing with the DIS “for the past six years or so “and had entered into an agreement with the spy outfit for acquisition of security equipment and surveillance platform with associated training. “There had been discussions for the past three years (prior to signing the contract) in 2017. The components which were being discussed with the DIS prior to the contract were: 1 VIP training; 2 Special Forces Training, 3 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles 4 operational imint real time video course 5 SUV platforms (support and training).
Kgosi is expected to be quizzed on what VIP training offered by the Israeli company has to do with anti-poaching, drug trafficking and human trafficking.
