President Duma Boko’s administration has signaled a dramatic shift in governance and institutional accountability by settling a defamation suit brought by Ambassador Bridgette Motsepe, a central figure wrongly implicated in the infamous “Butterfly Case.” The move includes a full apology, a High Court consent order, and a commitment to investigate abuses of state power under the previous administration.

The case emerged from allegations in an affidavit by Jako Hubona, a state investigator, who accused Motsepe and others of co-signing fraudulent accounts allegedly used to launder billions from the Bank of Botswana. These claims were ultimately dismissed as fictitious by both Botswana’s judiciary and an international probe led by UK legal and business experts.

The new government’s apology not only brings closure to Motsepe’s six-year legal battle but also serves as a symbolic condemnation of how state mechanisms were used to target political opponents and civil servants. In 2021, the High Court found the allegations against Wilhelmina Maswabi—another alleged co-conspirator—entirely fabricated and acquitted her of all charges. The court also recommended disciplinary action against those involved in the misleading investigation.

President Boko’s administration has now committed to reviewing the roots of these discredited allegations. The government’s willingness to disavow the falsehoods and seek justice for the victims stands in stark contrast to former president Mokgweetsi Masisi’s regime’s pursuit of a case that has since been exposed as baseless.