Botswana apologises to SA ambassador over graft claims

The Botswana Government has apologised to South African ambassador Bridgette Motsepe for falsely accusing her of corruption, reports TimesLIVE. In 2019, government investigator Jako Hubona alleged that Motsepe was the co-signatory to bank accounts in which funds allegedly stolen from the Bank of Botswana were laundered, and implicated her in financing terrorism. The allegations also impugned others, including former President Ian Khama. The court found these claims were false. ‘The allegations made by Hubona against Motsepe and supported by the government bodies he mentions are entirely false and were made recklessly,’ the Botswana Government said in a statement. ‘The Government of Botswana, the Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime, the Directorate of Intelligence Security Services and Hubona unconditionally retract their allegations and apologise to Motsepe for making them. The new human rights-based government of Botswana under the leadership of Advocate Duma Boko reaffirms its commitment to the rule of law and assures the public that fabrications of the nature as occurred will never occur.’ Political analysts suggest that the apology is not only a legal and diplomatic necessity but also a strategic move by Botswana to stabilise relations with its neighbour amid broader efforts to attract foreign investment and rebuild institutional trust, according to the Saturday Star. South Africa’s Department of International Relations & Co-operation welcomed the apology, noting that the matter had weighed heavily on bilateral relations in recent years. ‘We trust this marks a new chapter of openness and mutual respect between our two countries,’ the department said.

Full TimesLIVE report

Full Saturday Star report