Former Botswana president Ian Khama has made a surprising return to the country after nearly three years of self-imposed exile. Khama fled Botswana in 2021, claiming his life was in danger following a fallout with President Mokgweetsi Masisi. On Friday, Khama appeared in a Gaborone court, where his lawyers requested the withdrawal of a warrant of arrest issued against him. Khama faces 14 charges, including illegal possession of firearms and money laundering.
Unoda Mack, Khama’s lawyer, announced that the warrant had been set aside. “They wanted him, we brought him. The warrant has been set aside. He will appear in court, he will be coming. He brought himself,” Mack stated.
Khama, who now leads the opposition Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), has consistently denied the charges, describing them as politically motivated persecution by Masisi. The BPF Secretary General, Lawrence Ookeditse, emphasized that Khama returned to fight what they consider “bogus” charges. He also confirmed that Khama would be involved in campaigning for the BPF ahead of Botswana’s general election on October 30.
Despite the legal battles, Khama is set to return to court on September 23. Meanwhile, President Masisi has maintained that Khama must face the law and has rejected claims of political persecution.
