Africa-Press – Botswana. The Directorate of Intelligence Services (DISS) and the Botswana Police Service have arrested and detained three procurement officers of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks over a missing helicopter.
Information passed to Sunday Standard reveals that the three officers are the then Chief Pilot Les Trotter, Major Mothebodi Galeboe and current DISS engineer (name withheld) who were all part of the team that procured the helicopter.
It is understood that Major Galeboe was the procuring manager at the Department of Wildlife during Tshekedi Khama’s tenure as Tourism Minister.
Sources close to the latest development revealed that the missing helicopter which was last week identified and located in South Africa was purchased with others some three years ago.
Information passed to Sunday Standard shows that the officers were recently raided in an effort to piece together and assist in recovering some ammunition, pistols and other intelligence equipment which had passed through customs and clearing department but are neither part of DIS nor Wldlife Department inventories.
Sources close to the investigations told Sunday Standard that when the DISS conducted an audit of its inventory and interviewed a number of arms suppliers and aircraft manufacturers, it emerged that some firearms and a helicopter which were imported by the spy outfit were never delivered to the DIS or Wildlife Department.
Another source said the helicopter in question was amongst the three aircraft which were purchased second hand in South Africa and Dubai. The sources said the other helicopter which was not operational was kept in South Africa where it is being serviced.
The sources further said the Augusta Bell 19 is not missing but was kept in SA to act as calibrator to the other aircraft which are operational and were delivered in Botswana.
But those close to the security services said the helicopter is missing and that former cabinet Minister in the Ministry of Wildlife and Tourism Tshekedi Khama is aware of the missing helicopter and that is why three of his former procurement team members were arrested.
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