Chandapiwa Baputaki
19 November 2008
Although the Directorate of Intelligence and Security has been functional for about 7 months, the tribunal that is set to oversee public complaints against the organ is yet to meet.
An inaugural meeting of this tribunal is scheduled for December 9, the Minister of Communications, Science and Technology Penolomi Venson- Moitoi who was speaking on behalf of the Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Ramadeluka Seretse, told parliament yesterday.
The mandate of the tribunal is to preside over complaints from members of the public about ill treatment from the intelligence agents. Venson-Moitoi stated that members of the tribunal in Intelligence and Security were appointed on April 10, 2008 as according to terms of a section of the Intelligence and Security Act. The members include Issac Seloko, Adolf Hirschfeldt and Tsetsele Fantan. However, the minister stated that the tribunal has not received any complaints from members of the public.
Venson-Moitoi was responding to a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gaborone Central, Dumelang Saleshando who wanted to know whether the members of the tribunal as provided by the Intelligence and Security Act have been appointed and if so, the minister should state the day on which they were appointed.
The meeting comes just a month after allegations that just six months after it came into being, the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) was accused of torturing suspects using ghastly and dehumanising methods. The DISS is said to have tortured four members of the security forces. Two soldiers and two policemen stated in an interview with Mmegi in October that they were beaten to a pulp and left for dead at a torture chamber at the offices of DISS over allegations that they had stolen an AK-47 rifle at Gaborone West Police Station armoury.
In another question posed by the same MP, parliament was informed that the position of Special Advisor to the President is non-existent. The Assistant Minister Guma Moyo who was standing in for the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration Daniel Kwelagobe explained that the post was redesignated to that of Permanent Secretary, Office of the President after the employment contract for the special advisor to the former president, Sidney Pilane expired.
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