Businessman Monty Chiepe is caught up in a vicious war between the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and the Directorate of intelligence and security Services (DISS) on the one hand and Noroc technologies, a company that was engaged to help the BDP win the 2014 general elections. Chiepe, who was a business partner with directors of Noroc Technologies Temo Tau and Frederick Mathibe allegedly, fell out with the duo when they tried to take the BDP to court for failure to pay them for services rendered in the run up to the elections.
According to court records, Chiepe also clashed with Noroc Technologies over the P 1 billion safe cities tender for the supply of Botswana cities’ surveillance equipment. Noroc Technologies has taken Chiepe to court for raiding their offices and unlawfully seizing their computers allegedly on the authority of DISS Director General, Isaac Kgosi.
An affidavit deposed by Noroc Director Frederick Mathibe states that, “during the raid, respondent pointed out in clear and unequivocal terms that he has been instructed by the Director General of DISS, Mr Isaac Kgosi, to persuade us to return the BDP information which is in our possession and further to take away” Noroc Technologies property. Court records further state that Chiepe also allegedly said Kgosi had told him that Noroc Technologies was a threat to his company winning the P1 billion police tender for safe cities. “We were made to believe by the respondent (Chiepe) that the director General of Intelligence Services has an interest in the company were competing with for the police tender being Defence Concepts (PTY) LTD.
Defence concepts is one of the preferred suppliers of DISS and has been given tens of millions of tenders by the spy agency without going through an open tender process. The company was investigated alongside the DISS director General by the DISS and the case is currently gathering dust at the Directorate of Public prosecutions (DPP). It also emerges in the court records that Chiepe is Managing Director at Moon-stone, another company that has tendered for the P 1 billion police safe cities project. Defence Concepts, Noroc Technologies and Moon-Stone are among 10 companies which were shortlisted out of more than 200 initial bidding companies for the lucrative tender.
Defence Concepts has partnered with feather Brook and Israeli company, Noroc Technologies on the other hand has partnered with Mer systems another Israeli company while moonstone has partnered with Huawei from china. Also on the short list is Botswana Telecommuncations Corporations Chiepe had not filed his answering affidavit at the time of going to press.
