The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has every right to investigate allegations of corruption, abuse of office and money laundering wherever they arise, regardless of the status of the individuals involved. No public official should be beyond scrutiny, and no anti-corruption agency should be intimidated from carrying out its lawful mandate.
But there is an equally important principle that should guide the DCEC. It should investigate first, hand over evidence to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and leave the reporting to the media.
The DCEC’s recent press statement announcing charges against former Minister Noah Salakae and six others raises questions about the increasingly public role the anti-corruption body is assuming. While informing the public about matters of significant national interest is understandable, there is a danger that law enforcement agencies can become overly enthusiastic participants in the public narrative surrounding cases that are yet to be tested in court.
The criminal justice system is built on a simple principle: people are innocent until proven guilty. Courtrooms, not press conferences, are where guilt is determined. When investigators begin issuing lengthy public statements detailing allegations, quoting politicians and responding to public criticism, they risk creating the impression that they are fighting battles in the court of public opinion rather than in the courts of law.
The criminal justice system is built on a simple principle: people are innocent until proven guilty. Courtrooms, not press conferences, are where guilt is determined. When investigators begin issuing lengthy public statements detailing allegations, quoting politicians and responding to public criticism, they risk creating the impression that they are fighting battles in the court of public opinion rather than in the courts of law.
The DCEC’s mandate is clear. It is to detect, investigate and help prosecute corruption and economic crime. It is not a public relations institution. Nor is it a newsroom.
That responsibility belongs to journalists.
A free and independent media exists precisely to report on investigations, scrutinise public officials, analyse court proceedings and hold institutions accountable. Reporters can examine the evidence, seek responses from all sides and provide the public with balanced coverage. When investigative agencies attempt to become both investigators and chief narrators of events, the lines begin to blur.
This is not to suggest that the DCEC should operate in secrecy. Transparency is essential for public confidence. The public deserves to know when significant arrests have been made, when suspects have appeared in court and when cases reach important milestones. However, transparency and publicity are not the same thing.
There is a difference between announcing that charges have been filed and publishing detailed narratives that appear designed to shape public perceptions. There is also a difference between correcting misinformation and engaging in public debates with political figures.
The DCEC should be particularly careful because corruption cases are inherently political. They often involve powerful individuals, government contracts and public money. The moment investigators appear eager to win public arguments, the public inevitably question their impartiality, whether fairly or unfairly.
Botswana needs a strong DCEC. Corruption remains one of the greatest threats to public trust, economic development and good governance. But strength is not measured by visibility. It is measured by discipline, restraint and results.
Nothing would strengthen the DCEC’s credibility more than a reputation for quiet professionalism. The world’s most respected investigative agencies do not build their standing through dramatic public statements. They build it through successful prosecutions, watertight investigations and convictions that survive appeals.
The public ultimately judges anti-corruption agencies not by the number of press releases they issue, but by the quality of the cases they bring before the courts.
Botswana needs a strong DCEC. Corruption remains one of the greatest threats to public trust, economic development and good governance. But strength is not measured by visibility. It is measured by discipline, restraint and results.
The DCEC should resist the temptation to become a commentator on the cases it investigates. Its job is to gather evidence, present it to the DPP and allow justice to take its course.
The media can handle the headlines.The DCEC should focus on investigating the criminals.
