Former Minister of Minerals, Green Technology and Energy Security, Lefoko Moagi, has been formally charged with multiple offences including corruption and money laundering.
According to charge sheets placed before the Broadhurst regional magistrate court, Moagi faces a lone count relating to alleged abuse of office, alongside additional counts of corruption and money laundering.
The alleged offences stem from transactions said to have occurred while he was serving as a Cabinet minister and Member of Parliament for Ramotswa constituency.
In the lone count, the state alleges that on or about 17 April 2024, Moagi accepted valuable consideration from New Energy Company (Pty) Ltd through Wisecreatives, using a local bank account to which he was allegedly given access via a bank card. Prosecutors contend that the funds originated from New Energy Company and its associated entity, Riders (Pty) Ltd, and were received as a reward for issuing prospecting licences for base metals in the Gantsi, Tsabong and Tutume districts. The state maintains that these were matters in which Moagi was concerned in his capacity as a public officer.
The alleged offences stem from transactions said to have occurred while he was serving as a Cabinet minister and Member of Parliament for Ramotswa constituency.
Under Count One of corruption, the prosecution alleges that Moagi used his position as minister and legislator to obtain valuable consideration for his personal benefit from Sieyuan Electric Botswana (Pty) Ltd. It is alleged that he received 100 heifers and one bull, cumulatively valued at P417,500, from the company, which had commercial contracts with Botswana Power Corporation, a parastatal falling under his ministerial portfolio.
In Count Two, relating to money laundering, the state alleges that between 30 November 2024 and 22 April 2025 in Gaborone, Moagi, acting jointly and in concert with others not before court, disguised property he knew to be proceeds of crime. Prosecutors allege that he signed a false loan agreement with a representative of Sieyuan Electric Botswana (Pty) Ltd, identified as Mr Han, purporting that the P417,500 was a loan, when in fact it was allegedly proceeds of corruption.
Moagi is yet to enter pleas on the charges and he is expected back in court in March this year. The court, with the consent of prosecution and the defense granted him bail.
