Sello Motseta
Gaborone
21st March 2022
‘Khama’s Brothers Arrested Along With Other Civil Servants
The Directorate of Intelligence and Security(DIS) on Friday arrested and briefly detained the former President’s brothers Anthony and Tshekedi Khama as well as Tshekedi Khama’s wife Thea Khama in a facility in the upmarket surburbs of Phakalane for investigations reportedly underway.
They were interviewed along with a host of senior government officials with the DIS stressing they could not disclose information at this point given the sensitivity of the investigation.
“We called a number of people for investigations we are carrying out including Tshekedi, Anthony and Thea Khama. There were also senior civil servants who were also interviewed,”” said Edward Robert, Spokesperson for the Directorate of Intelligence and Security(DIS).
He said, “We are happy with co-operation from individuals interviewed.
Robert refused to be drawn into discussions about the purpose of the arrests or possible charges maintaining that everything was done according to the letter of the law.
The Intelligence and Security Service Act, 2007 governing the agency allows it to ‘without a warrant, arrest a person if he or she reasonably suspects that the person has committed or is about to commit an offence referred to in the Act.’’
The arrests come with tensions rising between the Former President Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian Khama who is now in exile in South Africa and his hand-picked successor Mokgweetsi Masisi. Khama is believed to have fallen out with Masisi over his failure to appoint his younger brother Tshekedi Khama his Vice President therefore protecting the Khama dynasty.
“It is not clear why the DIS and not the Police who arrested. We believe it has a lot to do with their political affiliation. We still believe that if they were BDP they would not face this harassment. Lawrence Ookeditse, Spokesperson for the Botswana Patriotic Front
He said, “No reasons have been given for arrests at this point. We will be meeting with them as they come to confirm the exact details.”
They were all arrested and detained on Friday at the Sebele detention facility just outside the capital city Gaborone.