While allegations of corruption were rife throughout the period the country was battling COVID-19, statistics tell a different story.

The majority of the reported COVID-19 corruption allegations have since fallen off the investigation radar while the only case that had been sent for prosecution has been closed. In June 2021, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime’s (DCEC) now-suspended Director-General, Tymon Katlholo revealed that the graft-buster had registered 69 COVID-19 corruption-related cases from April 2020 to May 2021.

According to Katlholo then, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development was leading in COVID-19 corruption cases in Councils with 15, followed by the Ministry of Health with three cases, and the Ministry for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration with two cases.

According to the latest information from the Directorate, 77 cases were registered by September (2022) and up to date, no matter has reached the courts. Katlholo told the Parliamentary Committee on Governance and Oversight that the advent of COVID-19, coupled with the fact that the Directorate is lagging in digitisation, stretch the already limited resources even further.

“Out of 77 COVID-19 corruption allegation reports received, 33 reports were classified for investigation with 19 cases still under investigation, zero at Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), zero at court, three awaiting closure panel, one is under development while 10 cases were closed,” DCEC Public Relations Officer, Lentswe

Motshoganetsi revealed.

Motshoganetsi further said there was one case forwarded to the DPP for prosecution in the previous COVID-19 cases updates, which has been returned to the DCEC for closure due to insufficient evidence to prosecute. Though he would not confirm,

The Monitor has established that the case in question is for Francistown Mayor, Godisang Radisigo who was fingered for supplying COVID-19 meal hampers.

Quizzed on what they are doing to fight corruption, Motshoganetsi said: “Application of various investigation strategies such as prosecution guided investigation, intelligence-led investigations, prioritisation and categorisation of cases, and use of the case management system.”

The Monitor wanted to establish from the Directorate on progress made in the COVID-19-related cases. Corruption is perceived to be rampant with multiple reports from stakeholders such as the then Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board and the Auditor-General stating that procurement laws were flouted many times. Legislators in Parliament have also bemoaned that corruption was rampant in COVID-19 procurement.