Khama asserts life in peril
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday May 20, 2024 08:14
In refuting that he is a fugitive from justice, the former president argues in a lengthy write-up based on SIGINT reports by foreign state agencies revealing at least three attempts on his life at the hands of the Government of Botswana.
Khama expresses his fears under the current regime that as much as he wishes to come back to Botswana and absolve himself of all charges, he is 'reliably convinced' his life would be in grave danger.
He states in court papers that plans to poison him, reduce his security detail, and fabricate charges against him are some of the reasons he fled Botswana to South Africa in November 2021.
In his replying affidavit in a case in which he wants the court to compel Local Government and Rural Development Minister Kgotla Autlwetse to install his cousin Seretse Peter Khama as Bagammangwato regent, Khama says he fled Botswana because he feared for his life under the administration of President Mokgweetsi Masisi. The write-up also follows Autlwetse's submission in his replying papers that Khama had been declared a fugitive from justice and should not be given an ear by the court.
Khama states that he left Botswana for South Africa on November 8, 2021, and apart from some international trips, he has sojourned in South Africa since then.
“At the time of my departure from Botswana on the 8th [of] November 2021, I had committed no criminal offence; no criminal case had been registered against me; and no arrest warrant had been issued against me. And so, when I left on that date, I was not running away from justice,” he states.
He states, as a former president deserving of protection, the government 'did not afford me reasonable protection' but instead deprived him of the same, as he was met with political persecution at the hands of President Mokgweetsi Masisi's administration.
He states that as the predecessor to the current administration, he has remained an influential part of the Botswana political landscape and has attracted the unwarranted hostility of his successor, Masisi.
“Since President Masisi took power in 2018, Botswana has become an increasingly autocratic country. The increasingly authoritarian manner of President Masisi's rule has caused me to speak out against him and to distance myself from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which I formerly headed. In the process, I joined and became a figurehead of the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), a breakaway party from the BDP. As a result of my campaigns, especially in the Central region of Botswana, in the 2019 General Election the BDP won 29 of the 57 National Assembly seats, a decline of eight seats from the 37 seats BDP won in the 2014 General Election,” he states.
Khama further states that since the 2019 General Election and as the 2024 General Election approaches, the BDP has been gradually weakening and losing more seats to the opposition. In retaliation, he states that President Masisi has launched a vicious campaign intended to intimidate the opposition and neutralise him through threats, deprivation of security protection, smears, abusive investigations into spurious allegations and physical violence regardless of the collateral damage,” he states.
Khama further details to the court that before he departed from Botswana, three intelligence agencies from states outside of Botswana issued credible warnings of threats to his life.
“Information in reports originating from the said three intelligence agencies referred to as SIGINT and shared with me on an 'eyes-only-basis', described how there had already been three separate and distinct plots to assassinate me, apparently organised by organs of the State of Botswana. The SIGINT reports refer to three planned attempts on my life, including the use of biochemical poison in two cases. One of the intelligence reports included a seemingly transcribed discussion on the administration of strychnine powder, which is readily available in Botswana. The transcribed discussion included the quantity that should be used the best way to administer it, and the general effects on any victim. The report explicitly mentioned the intention of targeting opponents of President Masisi, including myself and another former high-level official,” he states.
Khama also states that he was also informed by a reliable source of a plan to assassinate him in mid-2019 (during the General Election).
“The plan reportedly involved the use of a highly radioactive substance to be administered during my visits to an isolated conservation resort in Botswana. I visited the camp frequently but exceptionally did not do so in 2019, and the plan was aborted. The information was corroborated by a second source. I was also warned of further possible vectors for poisoning including hand sanitiser, bottled water, face masks, certain furniture, and bedding. Further witnesses have corroborated the planned assassination at the resort and indicated that the plan was to use an isotope of polonium, which was secured from a neighbouring country in anticipation of my visit to the camp,” he states.
Accordingly, Khama states that he notified his Directorate of Intelligence Services (DIS) detail of the very serious concerns he had for his safety.
He states that although this information should have been reported by the head of his DIS detail to his superiors and taken extremely seriously, no report was made.
“My DIS security team apparently did not see any reason to do so. The DIS is responsible for providing personal protection to high-level officials, including former presidents like myself. I considered this failure by the DIS to take any action as a deliberate omission by President Masisi's administration to expose me to threats against my life,” he states.
Despite the information of attempts and threats to his life and safety, and the DIS' failure to act on same, Khama laments that the government decided to downgrade his security detail.
Khma states that at the time of his departure from Botswana on November 8, 2021, he had not committed any criminal offence and no criminal case had been registered against him nor was there any warrant issued against him.
“The same DIS who were in charge of my security and protection as a former president had failed to act upon credible information regarding threats to my life, had reduced their security detail, and thereafter conjured up a hoax firearms charge with respect to lawfully owned and registered firearms, firearms which were at all material times under their control, was complicit in the plot against my life and safety and could not protect me. I did not leave Botswana on that day because I was fleeing from justice. I left Botswana on that day because I feared for my life, and because of the heightened politically motivated persecutions and harassment I suffered at the hands of the Botswana government, particularly the DIS,” he states.