The family of former director general of Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) Isaac Kgosi says state organs are on a mission to ‘eliminate’ him following his arrest last week.
Residents of Matsiloje where Kgosi originates were reportedly shocked when heavily armed Special Support Group (SSG) officers of the Botswana Police Services stormed the village to arrest the former spy chief last week.
Detailing what transpired last week, Kgosi’s niece, Benjamin Kgosi said his uncle was arrested by heavily armed security agents in full view of Matsiloje residents in a manner that was embarrassing.
“It looked like a “Chuck Norris” action movie when about 13 security agents stormed my uncle’s yard and a physical confrontation nearly ensued between the two parties,” he said.
He explained that, “It was on Sunday morning around 7 am when I went out to the nearby shop to buy something in order to prepare breakfast for both of us. While still at the shop I saw a police vehicle heading towards my uncle’s yard.”
He said a few minutes upon his arrival from the shop, he heard voices from the gate and saw four unidentified men at the gate in the company of some police officers.
Benjamin said he approached them so that he could find out what the mission of their visit was and they informed him that they were looking for Isaac Kgosi.
He said he asked them to identify themselves but they refused and tried to force themselves inside the yard.
“I refused to open the gate and they went back and came with a police special constable. Only two police officers introduced themselves and the rest refused. The security agents were emotionally charged and broke the gate and forced their way into the house yelling. They said wanted the guns that both Khama (former President) and Kgosi stole while they were with Botswana Defense Force (BDF),” said Benjamin.
He added that “Those guys had no respect at all to my uncle especially one officer who had covered his face with green cloth looking like an Al-Shabaab rebel.”
He stated that they conducted a search at the house and everywhere in the yard for the whole day but their search did not turn up what they were looking for.
“While still conducting the search, curious residents of the village gathered outside the yard and the officers chased them away. After a long search they took my uncle to Francistown where he boarded a plane to Gaborone,” said Benjamin.
He also stated that “What shocked and hurt me the most was the fact that 13 armed men were given clear instruction to eliminate my uncle if he could have resisted the arrest.”
When contacted for a comment Matsiloje village headman Eric Moipolai indicated that he was not officially informed about Isaac Kgosi’s arrest.
“I heard that there was a heavy police presence and a lot of activity in the village on that day,” he said adding that he was in Gaborone on that particular day.
Meanwhile information gathered by this publication suggests that SSG was given strict orders to ensure that Kgosi was arrested. It is understood that SSG led the investigations and DIS provided a “back-up.”
