Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) Director General Isaac Kgosi played hide and seek with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Thursday questioning its jurisdiction and flatly refusing to answer questions he was uncomfortable with around disbursements of P250million to spy agency on the basis public funds solicited constituted classified information and were part of ongoing court proceedings.
After some prodding from youthful Gaborone Bonnington South MP Ndaba Gaolathe, he appeared to concede that varying use of funds from National Petroleum Fund (NPF) by Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy was illegal and that only the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning had clearance for such actions.
Kgosi however flatly refused to indicate whether the spy agency would return P250million sourced from the NPF as directed by the Permanent Secretary for by Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy in correspondence to that effect in February 2018 following a similar request in November 2017.
”I will not discuss these documents because these documents are classified. If you had made efforts to declassify them I would speak to them being the custodian of the national security of this country,” said Isaac Kgosi.
He also played victim saying “There have been newspaper articles, radio interviews and some comments from some members of the committee who appear me that have sought to portray the DIS as a rogue institution. This is unfortunate and I wish to assure you all that the directorate is a law abiding citizen and shall at all times adhere to the founding statutes, constitution and any other laws in force from time to time in this Republic.”
Selibi Phikwe West Member of Parliament (MP) Dithapelo Keorapetse and PAC Chairperson cautioned the DIS boss that he was not going to set the terms for how the PAC conducts its business. Kgosi appeared to suffer from selective amnesia by electing to answer only some questions.
A defiant Isaac Kgosi also rebuked the PAC Chairperson telling him, “You are not going to tell me to answer this way or that way. I will answer in a way that I feel it is satisfactory for me to answer.”
He said, “If a document has not been declassified I will decline to answer.” He maintained, “When a document has been declassified it has a stamp to show that it is no longer classified.”
Asked by PAC Chairperson whether DIS has such a stamp for declassification in his office – Kgosi said he would not discuss what he has or does not have in his office.
“I find that to be very rude,” charged PAC Chairperson Dithapelo Keorapetse. Kgosi also refused to drawn into a discussion by PAC member Ignatius Moswaane on what is secret about transferring public funds from one Ministry to another.
Kgosi also appeared to be happy to distract the proceedings of the Public Accounts Committee by responding to outlandish allegations, in an effort to waste time and undermine the work of the PAC.
“I would like to put it on record that the DIS has never made threatens to assassinate or cause harm to anybody or acted outside its mandate. There is no reason for anybody to fear it whether politicians or members of the public,” said Isaac Kgosi.
He said, “The security of this country is way paramount to be always subjected to speculative or irresponsible commentary. Botswana is above all of us and I would like to put on record that I will co-operate with this committee to the extent allowed by law. I would also like to put it on record that I am appearing before this committee despite grave allegations leveled against me in person by some members of this committee as read in the media. I do so in hope that there will be fairness in the deliberations of the committee.”
The assassination allegations were furiously denied by PAC member and Tati East legislator Samson Guma Moyo.
“For the record I did not make an allegation that you wanted to assassinate me. I reported the matter to the speaker. Allegations made by newspapers can only be answered by newspapers. What I seek information is on NPF and we seek your assistance in the matter,” said Moyo.
Kgosi consistently refused to read a correspondence on disbursements from the NPF given to him by the Tati East legislator during the PAC proceedings saying that the information was classified. He only responded to questions on NPF after the letter was read out to him by the baffled legislator.
“As far as I am concerned I cannot read this letter before this committee before this letter is classified and has not been declassified,” said Kgosi.
The permanent secretary for the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy has demanded DIS return the P230million paid into its account by Khulaco. It alleges the NPF cannot cope with its commitments to ongoing infrastructure projects and operational issue.
Kgosi would also not be drawn into discussions on whether given his assertion that the P250million sought by the DIS was regarded as critical because of an existing security threat the current President and former President were aware of the P250million disbursements to the DIS despite prodding by PAC member Ndaba Gaolathe.
“What I discuss with any of my principals I cannot disclose here,” said a cocky Kgosi. He claimed, “I do not report operational matters to President, Vice President or Central Intelligence Committee (CIC).”
The PAC Chairperson dissolved committee meeting before lunch citing concerns over quorum and revealing he would subpoena the officer responsible for government records including matters relating to classification of information as secret and also seek to invoke National Assembly (NA) powers and privileges Act to compel witnesses to avail information sought by PAC Committee.
