Table of Contents
Key Points
- Botswana’s High Court clears Bridgette Radebe of $10 billion money laundering, orders government apology over false allegations.
- Independent probe finds alleged accounts and transactions fabricated; court cites lack of evidence and investigative irregularities
- Radebe plans legal action against groups and individuals who amplified the false claims despite government’s public apology.
South African mining magnate Bridgette Radebe, sister to Africa’s first Black billionaire Patrice Motsepe, says she will pursue legal action against those who accused her of involvement in a $10 billion money laundering and coup plot, after Botswana’s High Court cleared her and ordered the government to retract its claims and issue a public apology.
The ruling ends nearly six years of legal and reputational battles for Radebe, founder of Mmakau Mining and sibling to South Africa’s First Lady Tshepo Motsepe. One of Africa’s most prominent female mining entrepreneurs, she maintains her resolve to hold the accusers accountable.
Court orders apology, finds claims false
In its June 2025 decision, the court ruled that allegations first set out in a 2019 affidavit by former Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) investigator Jako Hubona were false and defamatory. The affidavit had alleged that Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe co-signed accounts linked to fictitious companies dubbed “Blue Flies” and “Fire Flies,” through which billions were supposedly moved to finance political destabilisation.
An independent probe by UK-based Omnia Strategy and Alaco, codenamed Project Monarch: Flies & Lies, later found the accounts and transactions described in the affidavit to be fabricated. The court’s findings echoed the report’s conclusions, noting a lack of verifiable evidence and significant investigative irregularities.
Government concedes, but legal battles loom
Following the court order, Botswana’s government issued a formal apology to Bridgette Radebe, acknowledging that the allegations had no factual basis. The mining executive says the apology lifts the “cloud of suspicion” but insists on accountability. She has confirmed plans to sue groups and individuals she believes amplified the claims, including South African civil rights organisation AfriForum.
The 2019 allegations emerged against the backdrop of tense political transitions in Botswana and implicated other high-profile figures, including former president Ian Khama. Observers say the affair reflects deeper fissures in the country’s security and governance apparatus, as well as the ease with which fabricated intelligence can fuel high-stakes prosecutions.
Reputation at stake for one of Africa’s mining pioneers
Bridgette Radebe, sister to South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe and First Lady Tshepo Motsepe, made history as one of the first Black women to own and run a mining company in South Africa. A staunch advocate of inclusive economic growth, she champions pan-African business cooperation.
Under her guidance, Mmakau Mining transcended being merely an economic entity; it became a catalyst for change, unlocking value through integrated resource development models. The company’s commitment to nurturing next-generation entrepreneurs and uplifting mining communities became the cornerstone of its success.
