DCEC records 47 corruption cases of COVID-19 tenders
Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has recorded a whopping 47 cases of corruption in relation to COVID-19 tendering processes.
The cases comes at a time when the nation’s suspicions on corruption is escalating by the day as they are reeling from the socio-economic impacts of the coronavirus while few are pocketing from it.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”1,2,3″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ]When giving evidence before the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), DCEC Director General Joseph Mathambo confirmed the nation’s sentiments on corruption by providing prove of corruption cases.
“So far we have received a total of 47 reports of corruption related to COVID-19. Out of the reports, 32 are from Gaborone region; 12 from Greater Francistown region and 3 in Maun region,” he stated.
He stressed that they have been receiving a lot of cases on COVID-19 and the reports are trickling in by the day, and hence they have allocated them and they are being tried for investigations.
“These cases were reported between lockdown period and now. These reports are from Ministries and Councils,” he emphasized. Mathambo further observed that the DCEC has not achieved any growth in the last 10 years while the prevalence of corruption continues to escalate as evidenced from the COVID-19 phase that we have been through.
“This has had a very bad effect on the economy of our country,” he stressed while adding that “the budget has been kept stagnant despite growing manifestations of corruption in the country.”
DCEC blames DPP for “shelfing” investigation dockets that gathered dust
The DCEC has come hard on criticism levelled against the prosecuting agency, Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), citing that they keep investigation dockets “for long” which ends up tempering with the investigation.
“Most of our cases have been with the DPP. Some of them have been at DPP for more than 10 years. My fear is with corruption cases, the day you deposit the docket at the DPP, the evidence becomes decaying,” DCEC boss told PAC.
He added that after one or two years the cases will require re-investigation as the standard of investigation keeps changing yearly. Mathambo decried that cases are sent back to them from the DPP because sometimes the evidence is out dated since they keep the files for too long without action.
“In the process when they want to resolve themselves from the issue because of their delay they say the evidence is not enough,” the corruption busting agency head pointed out.
He continued: “many cases have been going back and forth. Few years down the line the file gets back. Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) files are still going backward and forth since 2008. So yes we have many cases of the DISS.”
DCEC attacks DPP, wants prosecution powers
According to DCEC, they live in collective despair at the corruption busting body where they only investigate cases then dispose them to the DPP where they no longer have control over them anymore.
“It seems our cases seem not to attract any level of priority at all at the DPP, they just queue behind others, even though some high profile cases, they are taken as normal cases,” he lashed out.
He further observed that “it has always been our wish that given the circumstances now that for us to be able to deal sufficiently enough right through would rather have been given a certain degree of latitude when it comes to prosecutorial powers or mandate.”
Mathambo highlighted that they have made requests to the DPP for consent on prosecutorial mandate because they realized the DPP appeared not to be having enough hands to deal with their cases timely.
He further asserted that at DCEC they have very competent Officers who understand the application of legal duty very well. “Most of them have been in the prosecutorial fields elsewhere, so they are actually prosecutors and others defence lawyers.”
‘‘The public expect us to do a lot when it comes to corruption,’’ Mathambo said while adding that; ‘‘however they seem to not understand that we are only a stakeholder in the process of corruption in the whole country, so there is someone else (DPP) who completes the job for us.’’
“Even if we do our part and certainly know that we gotten and cornered a corrupt person but if the DPP chooses otherwise then there is little we can do. We see that the DPP has no enough personnel and skill to carry all of our cases. They have few hands which justifies their backlog even,” he stated.
P29 million DCEC budget: “We are meant to exist not really function”
The DCEC chief also decried their “stagnant” budget of 29 million saying it is the ceiling and it does not change hampering on their corruption fighting capabilities.
“Our budget is like we were meant to exist but not really function. The operational and functional budget of the DCEC has not increased over the past 10 years as figures show it has largely remained the same,” he pointed out.
He continued: “we have one of the smallest budgets that is so prohibitive in terms of growth it does not provide for anything. Also it makes everything worse as it does not provide for any growth baseline in the DCEC. We are just kept at a fixed value and that provides a lot of operational and functional challenges.”
According to Mathambo, DCEC is the only law enforcement agency which is under the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) and this is not the case with DISS, Botswana Police, Botswana Defence Force (BDF), and Botswana Prisons which are all a bit independent in terms of their “growth baseline.”
Like Media, DCEC also wants Freedom of Information law
The DCEC head said the information law will go a long way especially in enabling DCEC to reach information freely without having to go through many channels. “If our people could have access to information it will help in process of corruption in Botswana,” he concluded.[/ihc-hide-content]
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Nigerians, Zimbabweans apply for Chema Chema Fund
Fronting activities, where locals are used as a front for foreign-owned businesses, have been a long-standing issue in Botswana. These activities not only undermine the government’s efforts to promote local businesses but also deprive Batswana of opportunities for economic empowerment, officials say. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has warned of heavy penalties for those involved in fronting activities especially in relation to the latest popular government initiative dubbed Chema Chema.
According to the Ministry, the Industrial Development Act of 2019 clearly outlines the consequences of engaging in fronting activities. The fines of up to P50,000 for first-time offenders and P20,000 plus a two-year jail term for repeat offenders send a strong message that the government is serious about cracking down on this illegal practice. These penalties are meant to deter individuals from participating in fronting activities and to protect the integrity of local industries.
“It is disheartening to hear reports of collaboration between foreigners and locals to exploit government initiatives such as the Chema Chema Fund. This fund, administered by CEDA and LEA, is meant to support informal traders and low-income earners in Botswana. However, when fronting activities come into play, the intended beneficiaries are sidelined, and the funds are misused for personal gain.” It has been discovered that foreign nationals predominantly of Zimbabwean and Nigerian origin use unsuspecting Batswana to attempt to access the Chema Chema Fund. It is understood that they approach these Batswana under the guise of drafting business plans for them or simply coming up with ‘bankable business ideas that qualify for Chema Chema.’
Observers say the Chema Chema Fund has the potential to uplift the lives of many Batswana who are struggling to make ends meet. They argue that it is crucial that these funds are used for their intended purpose and not siphoned off through illegal activities such as fronting. The Ministry says the warning it issued serves as a reminder to all stakeholders involved in the administration of these funds to ensure transparency and accountability in their disbursement.
One local commentator said it is important to highlight the impact of fronting activities on the local economy and the livelihoods of Batswana. He said by using locals as a front for foreign-owned businesses, opportunities for local entrepreneurs are stifled, and the economic empowerment of Batswana is hindered. The Ministry’s warning of heavy penalties is a call to action for all stakeholders to work together to eliminate fronting activities and promote a level playing field for local businesses.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s warning of heavy penalties for fronting activities is a necessary step to protect the integrity of local industries and promote economic empowerment for Batswana. “It is imperative that all stakeholders comply with regulations and work towards a transparent and accountable business environment. By upholding the law and cracking down on illegal activities, we can ensure a fair and prosperous future for all Batswana.”
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Merck Foundation and African First Ladies mark World Health Day 2024
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany marks “World Health Day” 2024 together with Africa’s First Ladies who are also Ambassadors of MerckFoundation “More Than a Mother” Campaign through their Scholarship and Capacity Building Program. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation emphasized, “At Merck Foundation, we mark World Health Day every single day of the year over the past 12 years, by building healthcare capacity and transforming patient care across Africa, Asia and beyond.
I am proud to share that Merck Foundation has provided over 1740 scholarships to aspiring young doctors from 52 countries, in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties such as Oncology, Diabetes, Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine, Endocrinology, Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, Acute Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, Embryology & Fertility specialty, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Emergency and Resuscitation Medicine, Critical Care, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Neonatal Medicine, Advanced Surgical Practice, Pain Management, General Surgery, Clinical Microbiology and infectious diseases, Internal Medicine, Trauma & Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Cardiology, Stroke Medicine, Care of the Older Person, Family Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Obesity & Weight Management, Women’s Health, Biotechnology in ART and many more”.
As per the available data, Africa has only 34.6% of the required doctors, nurses, and midwives. It is projected that by 2030, Africa would need additional 6.1 million doctors, nurses, and midwives*. “For Example, before the start of the Merck Foundation programs in 2012; there was not a single Oncologist, Fertility or Reproductive care specialists, Diabetologist, Respiratory or ICU specialist in many countries such as The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Guinea, Burundi, Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, Namibia among others. We are certainly creating historic legacy in Africa, and also beyond. Together with our partners like Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Gender, Education and Communication, we are impacting the lives of people in the most disadvantaged communities in Africa and beyond.”, added Senator Dr. Kelej. Merck Foundation works closely with their Ambassadors, the African First Ladies and local partners such as; Ministries of Health, Education, Information & Communication, Gender, Academia, Research Institutions, Media and Art in building healthcare capacity and addressing health, social & economic challenges in developing countries and under-served communities. “I strongly believe that training healthcare providers and building professional healthcare capacity is the right strategy to improve access to equitable and quality at health care in Africa.
Therefore, I am happy to announce the Call for Applications for 2024 Scholarships for young doctors with special focus on female doctors for our online one-year diploma and two year master degree in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties, which includes both Online Diploma programs and On-Site Fellowship and clinical training programs. The applications are invited through the Office of our Ambassadors and long-term partners, The First Ladies of Africa and Ministry of Health of each country.” shared Dr . Kelej. “Our aim is to improve the overall health and wellbeing of people by building healthcare capacity across Africa, Asia and other developing countries. We are strongly committed to transforming patientcare landscape through our scholarships program”, concluded Senator Kelej.
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Interpol fugitive escapes from Botswana
John Isaak Ndovi, a Tanzanian national embroiled in controversy and pursued under a red notice by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), has mysteriously vanished, bypassing a scheduled bail hearing at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court in Gaborone. Previously apprehended by Botswana law enforcement at the Tlokweng border post several months earlier, his escape has ignited serious concerns.
Accused of pilfering assets worth in excess of P1 million, an amount translating to roughly 30,000 Omani Riyals, Ndovi has become a figure of paramount interest, especially to the authorities in the Sultanate of Oman, nestled in the far reaches of Asia.
The unsettling news of his disappearance surfaced following his failure to present himself at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court the preceding week. Speculation abounds that Ndovi may have sought refuge in South Africa in a bid to elude capture, prompting a widespread mobilization of law enforcement agencies to ascertain his current location.
In an official communiqué, Detective Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Selebatso Mokgosi of Interpol Gaborone disclosed Ndovi’s apprehension last September at the Tlokweng border, a capture made possible through the vigilant issuance of the Interpol red notice.
At 36, Ndovi is implicated in a case of alleged home invasion in Oman. Despite the non-existence of an extradition treaty between Botswana and Oman, Nomsa Moatswi, the Director of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), emphasized that the lack of formal extradition agreements does not hinder her office’s ability to entertain extradition requests. She highlighted the adoption of international cooperation norms, advocating for collaboration through the lenses of international comity and reciprocity.
Moatswi disclosed the intensified effort by law enforcement to locate Ndovi following his no-show in court, and pointed to Botswana’s track record of extraditing two international fugitives from France and Zimbabwe in the previous year as evidence of the country’s relentless pursuit of legal integrity.
When probed about the potential implications of Ndovi’s case on Botswana’s forthcoming evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Moatswi reserved her speculations. She acknowledged the criticality of steering clear of blacklisting, suggesting that this singular case is unlikely to feature prominently in the FATF’s assessment criteria.