Botswana Defence Force Military Intelligence concealed a secret plan to lure former army deputy commander Lt Gen Pius Mokgware in to a sexual trap known in spy talk as a “honey trap” and to frame him for rape. The tapes reveal the ethically murky practices in the BDF power struggle.
Military Intelligence operatives intercepted the plot and were recorded de-briefing a female sub agent who had been assigned to lure Mokgware in to her bed, have sex with him and then report him for rape. Although the Military Intelligence conceded in the tapes that the plan was “criminal”, they decided to keep it a secret and played along. The lady was recruited and paid by Mokgware’s rival in the army (known to this paper). At the time, Mokgware was BDF second in command and commander of the army ground forces. In the tape, the woman who was tasked by Mokgware’s rival into setting the honey trap was coached on how to lure Mokgware, code named “Mothaka ole” into her bed without raising any suspicions and to capture his semen on a towel which was to be used as evidence for rape. The lady, who worked for the BDF was also coached on what to tell the police when they asked her about circumstances leading to the rape.
She was told to put on pants, invite Mokgware to her house and pull down her pants when the army boss arrived. She was further told not to resist or struggle when Mokgware makes sexual advances, but to ensure that a towel was on the bed and to tear her clothes so that her rape claims would appear credible. When enquiring about what she should tell the police, her handler stated, “Just tell them you were surprised when he suddenly jumped on you. Tell them that you were scared because ke morena” (he is the big boss) and he threatened to beat you up and kill you if you resisted.” During one of the meeting with her handler, the lady related how scared she was when Mokgware agreed to come to her place. “When he called and told me that he was coming over today, my heart started beating fast. I do not know what to do, I will take a few shots of Bells brandy to calm my nerves”, she said, to which her handler responded “Don’t panic.
He should not be suspicious.” The BDF intelligence intercepted the plan to frame Mokgware and even wired the lady so that they could listen in on her conversation with Mokgware’s rival as they discussed the plot. Curiously the MI went along with the plot probably because it came at a time when the military intelligence was looking for dirt on Mokgware. The MI leadership was spying on Mokgware and had launched asystematic monitoring and tapping of his phone calls, communications from his cellular phone and general surveillance. The MI secret operation against Mokgware however went awry when he intercepted an SMS conversation between a military intelligence agent and a BeMobile staff member. The MI agent, known to this paper erroneously sent him a text message requesting for details of Mokgware’s communication on his private mobile number.
“It was self evident from the sms that this was not the first time that such information had been requested”, stated Mokgware in his court papers. Mokgware further stated that that his investigations revealed the involvement of the army’s high ranking officials who instructed junior officers to tail him. Mokgware however settled his lawsuit against BeMobile out of court.
Mokgware was dismissed from the BDF a few months later following a questionable board of inquiry by then army commander Lt Gen Tebogo Masire, which marked the highest water mark in the army command’s fears of a mutiny amid the growing unrest among infantrymen who were demanding improved work conditions.
The board of inquiry, made up of Brigadier Morake, Colonel Nkele and Colonel Segokgo investigated a Formation Commanders meeting of 16th January 2010 convened by Major General Mokgware. The BDF commander allegedly received intelligence claiming that Major General Mokgware lambasted the army command for failing to address welfare concerns of army members. There were fears that Mokgware would incite BDF ground forces to mutiny.
