Former Botswana president returns from self-imposed exile, appears in court

GABORONE, Botswana 

Botswana’s former president, Ian Khama, has made a surprise return to the country after a nearly three-year self-imposed exile.

Khama, who faces criminal charges, fled the southern African country in 2021, saying his life was in danger after a fallout with President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Khama appeared Friday in a Gaborone court, where his lawyers asked that a warrant of arrest against him be dropped. He faces 14 charges, which include illegal possession of firearms and money laundering.

His lawyer, Unoda Mack, told reporters outside court that the warrant of arrest has 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 said.

Khama, who leads a splinter opposition party, the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), has denied the criminal charges and says they are part of persecution by Masisi.

Khama handpicked Masisi to succeed him in 2018.

BPF Secretary General Lawrence Ookeditse said Khama, who led Botswana between 2008 and 2018, is back to fight the “bogus” charges.

“He went to the magistrate court to try to get the bogus warrant of arrest that was brought on him quashed,” Ookeditse said.

Khama’s return comes just weeks before Botswana holds its general election on October 30.

Ookeditse said the former president will participate in campaigns for his party.

“We have been very consistent and General Khama has also been very consistent to the effect that we are going to cause an upset in these elections and he is going to be on the ground campaigning for the BPF, as we are going to do all we can to effect regime change in a democratic way in Botswana,” Ookeditse said.

President Masisi has previously said Khama must return to face the law, and denied accusations of persecuting his predecessor. 

Khama will be back in court on September 23.