Africa-Press – Botswana. In a significant development marking a shift in regional diplomacy and justice, the government of Botswana has formally apologised to South African businesswoman Bridgette Motsepe for false accusations of corruption and money laundering that surfaced in 2019. The retraction comes after Botswana’s High Court confirmed last month that the claims were baseless and made without credible evidence.
Motsepe, a well-known mining entrepreneur and philanthropist, was thrust into a political and financial scandal six years ago when Botswana investigator Jako Hubona alleged she was involved in laundering funds stolen from the Bank of Botswana.
The accusations went further, suggesting that she co-signed accounts used for the alleged movement of illicit money and was even involved in financing terrorism.
Those claims, echoed at the time by the Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime as well as the country’s intelligence services, caused diplomatic strain between Botswana and South Africa, and severely impacted Motsepe’s reputation in international business circles.
In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday evening, the Botswana government officially distanced itself from the allegations and took responsibility for the damage caused.“The allegations made by Jako Hubona against Bridgette Motsepe and supported by the government bodies he mentioned are entirely false and were made recklessly,” the statement read.
“The government of Botswana, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime, the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services and Mr Hubona unconditionally retract their allegations and apologise to Mrs Motsepe for making them.”
This public apology signals a clear departure from the previous administration’s posture. Under President Duma Boko, elected earlier this year on a platform of legal reform and regional cooperation, Botswana has moved to restore credibility in its institutions and rebuild relationships in the Southern African Development Community.
President Boko’s administration described the saga as a failure of both process and ethics.
“The new human rights-based government of Botswana under the leadership of advocate Duma Boko reaffirms its commitment to the rule of law and assures the public that fabrications of the nature that have occurred will never recur,” the statement added.Motsepe, who is also the sister-in-law of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, has not yet issued a formal response, but sources close to her confirmed she is considering legal action for damages caused by the years of reputational harm.
Political analysts suggest that the apology is not only a legal and diplomatic necessity but also a strategic move by Botswana to stabilise relations with its neighbour amid broader efforts to attract foreign investment and rebuild institutional trust.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation welcomed the apology, noting that the matter had weighed heavily on bilateral relations in recent years. “We trust this marks a new chapter of openness and mutual respect between our two countries,” the department said.
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