23 Jul 2026

Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Mr Moeti Mohwasa, says he is unaware of any record of Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) officers currently facing criminal charges for alleged offences committed, whether within or outside the line of duty.

Answering a question in Parliament on July 22, Minister Mohwasa confirmed that six DIS officers were currently on suspension or interdiction pending conclusion of internal disciplinary proceedings.

The minister noted, however, that providing detailed commentary at this stage would be inappropriate, as doing so could prejudice ongoing processes and compromise the rights of the involved parties.

He added that prematurely discussing or characterising such cases, would be unfair to the affected officers before all relevant facts were evaluated and the processes fully concluded.

Addressing concerns regarding prolonged interdictions, Mr Mohwasa emphasised that every case was unique and must be assessed on its individual merits.

He explained that the nature, seriousness and complexity of allegations often determined the timeline of investigations.

In some instances, he said complex factual or legal issues required extensive inquiry before deciding if sufficient evidence existed to press formal charges.

In other cases, he said delays occurred because affected officers exercised their legal right to seek court intervention, such as applying for stays of disciplinary proceedings pending judicial determination.

He further said when investigations or related court outcomes showed that evidence was insufficient to sustain charges, or that proceeding was no longer legally tenable, affected officers were reinstated in accordance with the applicable legal and administrative frameworks.

Mr Mohwasa highlighted that while delays were undesirable, the DIS must balance the need for swift resolutions with its obligation to conduct thorough, procedurally fair and legally sound investigations that upheld principles of natural justice and the rule of law.

Parliament also heard that to minimise backlogs and strengthen administrative oversight, the DIS had taken steps to periodically review outstanding disciplinary cases and resolve long-standing matters.

“The agency is also strengthening internal case management and monitoring systems while reinforcing adherence to prescribed timelines. Furthermore, enhanced coordination between investigative, legal and human resources functions is being prioritised alongside ongoing process reviews to improve efficiency, accountability and compliance with the law,” the minister said.

He reiterated that the DIS remained fully committed to conducting its disciplinary actions transparently and in accordance with the Constitution, statutory laws and principles of good administration.

The minister was responding to a question from Member of Parliament for Okavango East, Mr Gabatsholwe Disho.

Mr Disho had asked the minister to disclose the total number of DIS members facing criminal charges for offences committed in the country and requested for clear distinction between acts carried out in the line of duty and those committed outside official duties.

He also sought specific details regarding the charges in each case, asked what concrete steps government intended to take and requested for an update on current officer suspensions.

The MP also asked the minister to explain why some officers remained interdicted for over two years only to be reinstated without formal charges or hearings, questioning whether proper administrative procedures and the rule of law were being respected during extended interdictions and further wanted to know what corrective measures had been implemented to rectify systemic lapses. ENDS