17 Jun 2014

It is not a norm, neither is it a practice for the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) to respond to issues raised in the media. 

This is because we recognise the watchdog-role the media plays and that indeed some of the corruption cases investigated and completed are taken from the media, hence the media’s significance as a partner in fighting corruption.

However, of recent there have been some articles from the media which we strongly feel need to be countered because they are malicious and are absolutely misleading to the Public. 

Such reports and papers play commentary or derision to alleged investigations that the DCEC has carried and is carrying in relation to some alleged high profile people. 

A festival of denigration and utmost fallacy has further been sponsored by some media houses bedeviling on the incompetence of the DCEC particularly on operational matters. 

This situation has further been aggravated by some senior members of society who confronted the DCEC and further approached several radio stations and newsrooms in order to spread the malice on the DCEC. 

Some reports have gone further to accuse the DCEC Management of sweeping some high profile cases under the carpet and playing deaf to some allegations of corruption.

Whereas the DCEC agrees with the media that the DCEC is a public office and therefore accountable to the public; that the DCEC uses taxpayers’ money and should serve the nation transparently without fear or favor; the bottom line is, the DCEC operates within the parameters defined by the Law. 

The DCEC functions within the ambit of the Corruption and Economic Crime Act (1994) and the Proceeds of Serious Crime Act (1990), hence anything that the DCEC does is in line with those. Corruption cases take time to investigate due to their complexity. 

The DCEC has set standards regarding unlawful disclosure of information. 

This is anchored under Section 44 of the Corruption and Economic Crime Act which prohibits disclosure of information by any person including sources, DCEC officers or anyone who may become privy to investigations by being interviewed or through issuance of Notices. 

Unlawful disclosure is punishable by law and we would like to warn defaulters that legal action will be instituted against them.

We would like to encourage the media houses which carry positive investigative stories that expose the rot within Botswana to continue doing the good job, we would like to further acknowledge the role the media plays in keeping a watchful eye on the operations of law enforcement agencies such as the DCEC however, we advice for researched, balanced and factual stories which will assist in building the nation, rather than the current state where opinionated, misleading, malicious and regurgitated articles find their way through the Editorial Board to print. ENDS