Botswana is once again under the microscope for its efforts to fight financial crime. A former senior counter-terrorism official has warned that the country risks being placed back on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, or possibly facing the harsher black list, as international assessors prepare to review its anti-money laundering measures. This warning comes ahead of the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG)’s third-round mutual evaluation of Botswana. The upcoming...

The long-anticipated forensic audit in Botswana remains cloaked in secrecy. Emma Peloetletse, the former Permanent Secretary to the President, disclosed that neither senior nor junior government officials, including herself, have seen the final report.    

While the Botswana Defence Force Retired Association (BDFRA) has grown into a prominent and widely recognized organization, its police counterpart is struggling to recover from years of declining membership that have left it fighting to stay relevant. Nearly a decade after its formation, the Botswana Police Service Retired Members Association (BPSRMA) has launched an intensive recruitment campaign to rebuild its membership base, having attracted only a small fraction of retired police officers so far. The...

More than two years after a devastating bus crash claimed 45 lives near Mmamatlakala in Limpopo, South Africa, at least 20 families affected by the tragedy are poised to receive compensation from the Road Accident Fund (RAF) before year’s end. The crash, which occurred on March 28, 2024, involved a bus carrying Zion Christian Church (ZCC) pilgrims from Molepolole to Moria for Easter celebrations. The vehicle reportedly lost control on a bridge and ignited, killing...

Botswana stands at a crossroads, with years of progress in strengthening its anti-money laundering framework threatened by conflicting statements from top officials over the contentious P100 billion saga.  

A new development has surfaced in the long-running legal and chieftainship dispute involving exiled Bakgatla paramount chief Kgafela Kgafela. A Botswana community trust has confirmed it provided financial support to help fund his court fight in South Africa.

Former President Lieutenant General Ian Khama and his twin brothers, Tshekedi and Anthony Khama, have once again found themselves at the center of criminal investigations.

More than two years after a devastating bus crash in Limpopo, South Africa, at least 20 families affected by the St Engenas Zion Christian Church (ZCC) tragedy may receive compensation from the Road Accident Fund (RAF) before the year ends. The crash, which claimed 45 lives, left many families in Botswana grappling with grief and a complex legal battle for financial relief. While some families are nearing compensation, others face the possibility of being left...

President Duma Boko is weighing the creation of independent bodies to investigate and prosecute cases emerging from Botswana’s recent forensic audit, amid growing doubts about whether existing state institutions are capable of handling the task impartially.