Former Botswana President Ian Khama Returns to Face Legal Charges After Exile

In a surprising development, former Botswana President Ian Khama has returned to his home country after a three-year period of self-imposed exile. The 71-year-old ex-leader made a notable appearance in court to face a series of serious charges, including money laundering, illegal possession of firearms, and handling stolen property. His return follows claims that there was a plot against his life should he return to Botswana, though the government has dismissed these allegations as “outrageous.”

Khama, who led Botswana from 2008 to 2018, was met with cheers and chants of “the general is back” from his supporters as he exited the courthouse in Gaborone on Friday. The unexpected nature of his return caught many off guard, including state prosecutor Ambrose Mubika, who remarked, “We were taken by surprise.”

The former president is not running for office in the upcoming election, which will see his rival, President Mokgweetsi Masisi, seek a second term. Khama has been a vocal critic of Masisi, referring to him as “the Botswana version of Donald Trump” and criticizing the decision to appoint him as his successor within the Botswana Democratic Party as a “mistake.”

At Friday’s court session, the magistrate annulled arrest warrants that had been issued in 2022 due to Khama’s previous absences from court. “I’m happy with the magistrate’s ruling,” Khama said after the hearing. His lawyer, Unoda Mack, added that “the state wanted him back in the country, and now he is back. He is in the country for as much as he likes.”

Khama has consistently denied the 14 charges against him, which he claims are politically motivated. He faces these charges alongside former heads of Botswana’s intelligence and police services. His return to Botswana is seen by many as a significant moment in his ongoing legal and political struggle.

During his presidency, Khama was noted for his efforts to diversify Botswana’s economy, which has traditionally relied heavily on diamond production. However, since Masisi took office, some of Khama’s policies have been reversed, contributing to the strained relationship between the two men.

Polling data from Afrobarometer indicates that public concern about corruption has increased in Botswana, particularly regarding the awarding of government contracts to relatives of officials. This growing dissatisfaction may have played a role in Khama’s decision to return and challenge the current administration.

Khama is scheduled to make his next court appearance on September 23. Since his fallout with Masisi, he has been residing in South Africa and has expressed mistrust towards the current administration. Despite being entitled to state-funded protection, Khama reportedly employs private security guards at his own expense.

The former president, a retired army general with a passion for aviation, had been barred from using the state aircraft fleet as his conflict with Masisi intensified. Khama, born in 1953 in Surrey, UK, is the son of Seretse Khama, Botswana’s first president, whose life inspired the Hollywood film “A United Kingdom.”

Khama’s return and the legal proceedings against him mark a new chapter in Botswana’s political landscape, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the former and current leaders and raising questions about the future direction of the country.