For the umpteenth time, we remind the powers that be to facilitate a long- standing reconciliation of the country’s powerful security organs: the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) and Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS).
We urge senior government officers to act with caution when they deal with welfare issues of government employees rather than just pushing their agendas or those of their principals.
The current Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) administration is a government with a human right slant. Therefore, the decision-making processes should tell a story of a government that does not act without considering the implications of its decisions.
We have noted incessant skirmishes that do not portray the two security organs in good light. The turf wars between the DCEC and the DIS have apparently metamorphosed into open hatred. The situation is not helped by the attitude of senior officers who have turned by-standers or prefer to take sides.
During the era of the former DIS Director General (DG) Isaac Kgosi’s (now deceased), the skirmishes were a permanent feature that literally threatened to weaken the DCEC to the core. The DIS operatives, who seemingly have a penchant of breaking the law, have a history of tending to use their offices to protect their interests. At the time, Kgosi faced serious charges from the DCEC, ranging from corruption, abuse of office and money laundering. Kgosi’s loyalists within the DIS allegedly mounted operations targeted at ‘stealing’ files implicating their boss, in an attempt to delay progress of the cases pursued by the DCEC.
This was around the time that the DCEC formed its own intelligence unit under its former DG, Rose Seretse to ward off surveillance and raids by the DIS to counter their intrusive acts.
As if that was not enough, we witnessed a raid of the DCEC offices in 2022 by the DIS led by its current chief, Peter Magosi.
It was alleged that the raids were targeting files in the DCEC DG’s custody, which amongst others implicated former president Ian Khama and his family members. Reports further show that even Magosi and some of his senior officers were under the DCEC investigations at the time as that is the case now.
Despite Tymon Katlholo, who was the DCEC DG then, alerting his principals to protect him, the DIS went ahead and confiscated what it wanted from his office taking advantage of his absence from the country.
It may sounds like a movie, but that is how the relationship between the DCEC and the DIS can best be described.
Even after the Court of Appeal had spoken loudly calling the DIS to order, it’s now employing underhand tactics to still hit at the DCEC and cripple its abilities. Attempts to forcefully transfer the DCEC director of intelligence unit, Tshepo Pilane this week, are seen as aimed at scattering and taming an institution that is slowly gaining momentum. The DCEC intelligence unit has been providing vital information to the graft busting body’s head honchos.
At best, the Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP) Emma Peloetletse’s actions can be summed as collusion with the DIS as the two offices have now become Siamese twins in their attempts to destroy the reputation of a powerful institution like the DCEC.
“Sometimes you make the right decision, sometimes you make the decision right”– Phil McGraw
