Over the past decade, Botswana has reported more than 6,000 cases of missing persons, with 426 individuals still unaccounted for. The year 2021 saw a spike in cases, with 45 people remaining missing. Authorities have confirmed that 334 reported missing persons were found deceased; 178 from natural causes, 97 by suicide, and 54 murdered. Although six victims were discovered with body parts missing, often linked culturally to ritual killings, forensic examinations revealed these injuries occurred...

The high-profile asset forfeiture case involving former Minister of Minerals and Energy Lefoko Moagi took a dramatic turn as the defence questioned the authenticity of certain documents presented by the Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP). During the hearing scheduled for arguments on Moagi’s challenge against the seizure of his properties, defence attorney Tengo Rubadiri requested a further postponement. He explained that they plan to approach the...

The Office of the Receiver reported a striking surge in asset forfeitures this January, marking a 321.8 percent increase attributed to final forfeitures, according to Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Nelson Ramaotwana. He disclosed these figures while presenting the committee of supply for the office in Parliament this week. Minister Ramaotwana revealed that the assets seized by the office in January alone totaled P32,253,471.10. This impressive haul was bolstered by ongoing administrative deposits from...

This week, during a parliamentary session, the issue of death row inmates was brought to the forefront by Leepetswe Lesedi, the Member of Parliament for Serowe South, who directed a series of probing questions to Nelson Ramaotwana, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services. Lesedi sought clarity on the government’s stance regarding capital punishment, inquiring specifically whether a moratorium on the death penalty has been instituted in Botswana. He requested details on the current number...

A recent investigation by The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in Botswana (SAAPA Botswana) sheds new light on the troubling role alcohol plays in fueling gender-based violence (GBV) across southern Africa. Titled “Examining Alcohol Availability & Gender-Based Violence in Four Countries in Southern Africa: A Community-Centered Approach,” the study reveals how the accessibility and trading practices of alcohol intensify risks, escalate the severity of violence, and foster environments where such violence becomes more likely. Focusing...

The Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) is currently managing a backlog of 965 criminal cases registered since 1st October  2025. This week, Augustine Nganyata, the Assistant Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, disclosed a notable surge in the registration of corruption cases alongside those deemed of national significance. In his presentation to the Committee of Supply for the Attorney General’s Chambers, Nganyata reported that 521 dockets, representing 53.9 percent of the total, have been processed...

The courtroom drama surrounding Kgori Capital’s directors, Bakang Seretse, Sharifa Noor, and Alphonse Molamu Ndzinge, along with their corporate entities, Kgori Capital (Pty) Ltd and Kgori Holdings (Pty) Ltd, has reignited with renewed vigor. These individuals and companies stand accused of masterminding a sophisticated criminal scheme involving serious financial misconduct that reportedly unfolded over several years. The charge sheet, officially dated March 6, 2026, paints a detailed picture of alleged fraudulent activities that allegedly siphoned...

The legal battle involving Capital Management Botswana (CMB) and its directors, Rapula Okaile and the late Timothy Marsland, has resumed in court. Okaile faces a staggering 61 charges, ranging from theft by agent and money laundering to obtaining property by false pretenses and corruption, all linked to the alleged misappropriation of millions from the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF). At this week’s arraignment, the prosecution disclosed that alongside CMB and Okaile, three additional entities...

Seven directors of Bluthorn stand accused of orchestrating the theft of over P102 million from local government coffers. This week, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) formally arraigned the suspects before Regional Magistrate Court Mareledi Dipate. The charges allege theft by agent, meaning these individuals, entrusted with investing funds on behalf of various district councils, are accused of misappropriating the money instead. Court documents reveal that the alleged offenses date back to approximately September 3,...