Minister of Botswana disputes Ian Khama arrest warrant

Lamagang Kwape, the foreign minister of Botswana, has refuted reports that former president Ian Khama, who is currently living in exile in South Africa, has a warrant out for his arrest.

When Sophie Ikenye of the BBC’s Focus on Africa program asked him about the matter, he responded, “We will have to engage the ministry of justice to find out the status of any arrest warrant, if any.”

It was widely reported in December that a Botswana court had issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Khama on the suspicion that he was in possession of illicit firearms.

After a disagreement with his successor President Mokgweetsi Masisi, the 69-year-old former leader said the accusations were the result of a political plot.

After serving two terms of five years, Mr. Khama resigned in 2018.

Outside of the recently finished conference of Commonwealth foreign affairs ministers in London, foreign minister Kwape spoke to the BBC.

He also disclosed to the BBC that the nation was renegotiating licenses and contracts in the diamond sector.

In order for Botswana to profit from the diamonds, he continued, it was necessary for it to participate more in the value chain, particularly in the manufacturing industry.

He claimed that the nation’s more skilled labor force may be utilised to extract more value from the raw material.