The former Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services Director general, Isaac Kgosi may have been planning for a possible strike back in case he was cornered ÔÇô sources close to the DIS have revealed.
Shortly before President Khama retired, Kgosi diverted money from the Botswana Petroleum Fund towards importing mercenaries through Dignia Systems, the Israeli company at the center of the P250 money laundering trial.
Although the procurement was made six months before President Khama retired from office, the then Vice president Mokgweetsi Masisi was kept out of the loop.
Former Minister Sadique Kebonang told the public accounts Committee that former President Lt Gen Ian Khama on the other hand was aware of the plan to divert the Public Petroleum Fund money towards DIS procurements.
The DIS shopping list that was handed to the Israeli company suggests that the Botswana spy outfit was preparing for a civil strife.
Dignia Systems which is a security solutions and defence technology company based in Israel was also contracted to provide VIP protection training and supply among other things a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle).
Top on the list with a price tag of US $17 million, (more than P170 million) is the Aeronautics Dignia. This is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems) commonly known as a drone.
Drones are used in situations where manned flight is considered too risky or difficult. Used mostly by the army, they provide troops with a 24-hour “eye in the sky”, seven days a week. Each aircraft can stay aloft for up to 17 hours at a time, loitering over an area and sending back real-time imagery of activities on the ground.
Dignia System has been accused by a Papua New Guinea publication of being part of a plan to ensure that Papua New Guinea president remained in power after the 2017 elections.
According to the invoice which has been made available to the Sunday Standard, Dignia Systems was also contracted to provide Commander’s VIP protection training. In most jurisdictions, VIP protection is usually provided for the President, the Vice President and Cabinet Ministers.
The DIS deal with Dignia Systems mirrors the Papua New Guinea scandal where the Israeli company is currently embroiled in a controversy after it was allegedly secretly contracted by the Prime Minister to create a private intelligence agency and secret paramilitary spy force.
Dignia Systems also provided SUV platform support.
