Rédaction Africa Links 24 with The Africa Links 24
Published on 2024-02-21 10:45:45
High Court judge Zein Kebonang has accused agents of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Service (DISS) of spying on him and has sought the intervention of Chief Justice Terrence Rannowane. The contents of Justice Kebonang’s letter are not fully known, but Chief Justice Rannowane and the Chairperson of the Law Society of Botswana, (LSB) Osego Garebamono, have confirmed receiving the letter.
According to sources, Justice Kebonang has complained in the letter about intelligence officers following him around town and to restaurants, causing him to feel unsafe. The situation has reportedly been ongoing for some time, with armed robbers having broken into his house without any action being taken. It has been suggested by sources close to him that certain individuals in the government are dissatisfied with his judgments involving former president Ian Khama and former chief spy Isaac Kgosi.
In August 2021, Justice Kebonang ruled against the state in the “Butterfly case,” stating that the state had failed to provide evidence against DISS agent Welhemina “Butterfly” Maswabi and reviewed and set aside its decision to prosecute the then suspended intelligence agent. The case implicated both Khama and Kgosi.
Additionally, in October 2023, Justice Kebonang refused to recuse himself from a case involving Kgosi and DISS over firearms and criticized the Attorney General (AG) for attempting to undermine court proceedings. Sources have also indicated that DISS has placed Justice Kebonang under surveillance due to his suspected relationships with Khama and Kgosi, as they believe he may be anti-establishment and providing information on cases involving them.
Significantly, numerous occasions have seen the twin brother of the jurist, former energy minister, Sadique, clarify that he is the one who has a relationship with Kgosi, not his brother Zein, the judge. He has even recounted being followed to Kgosi’s house by two DISS agents who mistook him for his brother.
Chief Justice Rannowane has responded to Justice Kebonang’s complaint and is willing to share his response if desired. Meanwhile, LSB Chairperson Garebamono has stated that they are still studying the letter and will comment at a later stage.
The situation surrounding Justice Kebonang and his accusations against DISS has garnered significant attention, with the public expressing interest in the matter. It remains to be seen how the situation will evolve and if any further actions will be taken to address the concerns raised by the judge.
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