Former Botswana president faces criminal charges

Former Botswana president Ian Khama was summoned to appear before a court on Thursday to face multiple criminal charges.

The former president was accused along with three others including an ex-intelligence chief, a former police commissioner and an ex-deputy permanent secretary.

All three face a total of 38 charges.

Illegal possession of firearms is one of the criminal charges faced by the former president.

Under Botswana law, the illegal possession of guns could lead to a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Ian Khama ruled Botswana between 2008 and 2018.

In November 2021 the former president went into a self-imposed exhile in South Africa.

The court summons against the former president comes ahead of current President Masisi's planned meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria on Friday.