CHARM TALK Moagi’s courtroom bracelet sparks superstition storm online
It was a matter about cattle and millions but what really stole the show at Lefoko “Fox” Moagi’s corruption court appearance on Tuesday was a handcrafted beaded Afro woven cuff bracelet snug on his wrist.
As the former minister sat in the dock in a crisp blue suit and shirt, cameras zoomed in, screenshots flew across timelines, and suddenly the bracelet became the headline. Social media lit up with speculation that Fox was leaning on sangoma charms, traditional medicine, or juju to tilt the scales of justice.
Some users swore the bracelet was the reason P5 000 bail was granted, claiming without it he would have gone straight to jail. Others mocked the idea, saying superstition has no place in a courtroom. “It’s really bad when you see a man bring in Sangoma charms into the court room,” one post read, echoing the skepticism.
Others kept questioning why he suddenly appeared in court wearing the armwear, with some even joking and calling it ‘Sebaga Sa Lorato,’ obviously in reference to that classic Tswana folkplay by the late Matlapeng Ray Molomo which was part of the Setswana Literature curriculum at secondary schools in Botswana.
But defenders quickly jumped in. Former Gamalete District Council Chairperson Zahid Jalal confirmed Fox has worn the bracelet for years, long before corruption charges entered the picture. “I’ve seen it on him as far back as three years ago,” Jalal said, dismissing the juju talk as social media noise. Others close to the ex-minister also shared they had seen him wear the bracelet before, some even calling it his signature statement.
Yet the bracelet saga persisted throughout the day, showing how courtroom optics can overshadow the actual charges. While prosecutors laid out millions allegedly funneled through Wisecreatives Investments and cattle linked to Sieyuan Electric Botswana, the public fixated on a bracelet and superstition, perhaps a reminder that in Botswana’s political theatre, symbolism often competes with substance.
For Moagi, the bracelet may be just an accessory. For the streets, it is now a symbol of belief, of doubt, and of how far people think power can bend the law.
