Africa-Press – Botswana. The Commissioner of Police, Commissioner Dinah Marathe, held a high-level consultative meeting on 15 April 2026 at Police Headquarters with Ms Esther Mokgatlhe, National Coordinator for Anti-Money Laundering, Counter Financing of Terrorism and Counter Proliferation Financing. The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between the Botswana Police Service and national AML/CFT/CPF structures to improve the fight against financial crimes. Both institutions used the engagement to align priorities and reinforce joint action against increasingly complex criminal financial networks. The discussions reflected growing concern about the sophistication of financial crime and its impact on national stability. The meeting also highlighted the importance of coordinated institutional responses to protect Botswana’s financial integrity.
In her opening remarks, Commissioner Marathe congratulated Ms Mokgatlhe on her recent appointment under the Ministry of Finance and reaffirmed the Botswana Police Service commitment to the national AML/CFT/CPF agenda. She stressed that financial crimes require a coordinated and multi-agency approach that brings together law enforcement, regulators and other key stakeholders. According to her, isolated efforts are no longer enough to address modern financial threats that cross borders and sectors. She emphasised that stronger collaboration would improve detection, investigation and prosecution outcomes. The Commissioner also noted that trust and consistency between institutions remain essential for long-term success in combating financial crime.
Commissioner Marathe further warned about the risk of grey-listing by international assessors, noting that such a development could negatively affect Botswana’s economic reputation and global financial standing. She explained that preventing this outcome requires urgent and sustained cooperation across all relevant institutions. The Commissioner highlighted that money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing are interconnected threats that demand shared responsibility. She stated that the Botswana Police Service continues to play a central role in investigating illicit financial flows that undermine national and international confidence. She also pointed out that the service has developed strong internal capacity, including skilled financial investigators trained to trace, disrupt and dismantle complex criminal networks.
Ms Mokgatlhe reinforced the importance of unity of purpose among all institutions involved in financial crime prevention and enforcement. She stated that success depends on high quality intelligence and well coordinated, intelligence driven investigations. She further emphasised that information sharing must be strengthened to ensure faster and more accurate responses to suspicious financial activity. Ms Mokgatlhe also highlighted the need to build institutional capacity so that Botswana can remain fully compliant with international AML/CFT/CPF standards. She noted that emerging financial crime threats require constant adaptation, improved systems and closer cooperation between agencies to remain effective.
Both leaders agreed on the need to deepen collaboration through structured engagement frameworks, capacity building programmes and enhanced intelligence sharing mechanisms. They committed to strengthening joint efforts that support effective investigations and successful prosecutions of financial crimes. The meeting concluded with a shared understanding that sustained cooperation is essential to protect Botswana’s financial system and maintain its international credibility. The engagement marked a significant step toward improving coordination between key institutions responsible for safeguarding the country against financial crime risks. It also reinforced the national commitment to building a resilient and transparent financial environment that supports long term economic stability.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
