A confidential Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) investigation into the controversial missing helicopter scandal has revealed what investigators describe as extensive procurement irregularities, abuse of office and suspicious financial transactions.
The alleged irregularities have placed a former Minister of Environment and Tourism at the centre of one of the country’s most explosive corruption probes.
A copy of the docket shows that after years of investigations into the multi-million-pula helicopter procurement, the DCEC has completed its inquiry and forwarded the docket to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The allegations contained in the docket were corroborated recently by DCEC Director General Botlhale Makgekgenene when she told Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that investigations into the high-profile missing helicopter case had been completed and the docket submitted to the DPP. Makgekgenene also revealed that one of the helicopters disappeared about an hour after landing in Botswana. The investigation dossier seen by News&All shows how the procurement unfolded. According to investigators, the then Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Natural Resources procured two second-hand Agusta Westland A109 K2 helicopters from Candy Logistics Southern Star Ltd of Dubai for US$1.36 million. While the aircraft were reportedly delivered and accepted by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), investigators say the procurement later exposed major inconsistencies involving additional aircraft allegedly purchased but never received.
The investigation traces the procurement to a 2017 presidential directive, CAB 10SP/2017, authorising the acquisition of helicopters at US$500,000 each, amounting to about P26 million. However, investigators allege that three helicopters were ultimately purchased at substantially higher prices: US$1.55 million, US$1.3 million and US$1.361 million respectively. Despite the payments, the dossier alleges that only one aircraft was eventually delivered, with forensic examinations indicating it was a 14-year-old second-hand helicopter, contrary to claims that it was new.
Another helicopter, reportedly intended for anti-poaching operations, allegedly disappeared before later resurfacing stripped for spare parts. Investigators also raise questions over the supplier itself.
According to the leaked report, “further investigations showed that Candy Logistics Southern Star Ltd, a company that was suggested by the former minister, was allegedly deregistered shortly after the sale, raising concerns about the legitimacy of the transaction.”
The investigation widened beyond the missing helicopters. According to the docket:
“During the course of the investigation of an offence of Corruption transactions by agent contrary to section 28 (3) of the CECA (Corruption and Economic Crime Act), which relates to the procurement of the two (2) undelivered Agusta Westland A109 K2 helicopters, another offence of Abuse of Public Office under section 24A (1) as read with section 23 (a) of the CECA was disclosed and it led to the widening of the investigations base.”
“Investigations have revealed that on 18 September 2017, the Office of the President (OP), through Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP) Carter Nkatla Morupisi, wrote a savingram, REF: OP 4/33/14 II (60), coercing Mr Solomon Sekwakwa, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, to pay the supplier through an Escrow Agent Company without following the procurement process.”
Investigators reconstructed the procurement process and say a series of official records contradict each other.
The dossier states that on 7 September 2017, the supplier invoiced DWNP and, on the same day, the department’s Aviation Coordinator certified delivery and acceptance of two helicopters bearing serial numbers 10024 and 10030. But investigators say events that followed raise fundamental questions.
“Investigations have revealed that on 18 September 2017, the Office of the President (OP), through Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP) Carter Nkatla Morupisi, wrote a savingram, REF: OP 4/33/14 II (60), coercing Mr Solomon Sekwakwa, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, to pay the supplier through an Escrow Agent Company without following the procurement process.”
The dossier says government paid the supplier in full on 25 September 2017 through an escrow arrangement. Barely a month later, however, investigators say the Director of DWNP informed the Permanent Secretary that the supplier had allegedly sold the same helicopters to a third party and proposed substituting them with another aircraft. That contradiction became one of the central issues in the investigation. According to investigators, DWNP claimed to have received the aircraft as shown by invoice number 2017/01 from the supplier, a goods received note and payment records to the supplier. Yet, investigators say DWNP later claimed the supplier had sold the helicopters to a third party.
The investigators questioned the sequence of events, saying:
“How come the DWNP says the supplier had sold the two (2) helicopters when there are documents in their possession to show that DWNP did pay for the two air assets, received and accepted them?”
They added: “It is not clear how the company in the Middle East managed to be in possession of the helicopters paid by DWNP from Candy Logistic Southern Star LTD. It is not clear whether the company also paid for the two (2) helicopters like DWNP or not.”
The dossier also raises concerns about the supplier’s existence.
According to investigators, investigations established that Candy Logistic Southern Star Ltd was a registered company in the United Kingdom and was deregistered after completion of the helicopter transaction.
The report states: “It is evident that it was solely created as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the transaction of the two (2) undelivered helicopters of DWNP.”
Investigators further allege that procurement procedures were repeatedly bypassed. The dossier states:
“Investigations have established that a former Minister of Environment and Tourism had been abusive of the procurement process, as he interfered, facilitated and was influential in most of the procurement process of the DWNP.”
On 14 December 2017, the supplier issued another invoice using the same Government Purchase Order previously used to pay for the two helicopters. Investigators noted that a Government Purchase Order (GPO) number 01/2002/17-18/001643, which had initially been used to pay for two Agusta Westland A109 K2 helicopters in September 2017, was allegedly used again for an Agusta 109E in January 2018. The DCEC says this is highly unusual because a GPO is generally intended for a single transaction and cannot ordinarily be used twice unless it forms part of a staged payment arrangement.
