- Only 441 perpetrators convicted for murder, 14 on death row
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
Botswana’s judicial system has registered 2088 murder cases for prosecution over the past 10 years.
But inspite the significant number of registered cases, only 1829 have been committed to the High Court for trial.
Responding a question in Parliament from the MP for Serowe North, the Minister of Justice, Machana Shamukuni, said of the total 2088 murder cases registered between 2013 and this year, 441 perpetrators have been convicted for the offence while 14 are on death row.
Overturn
However, not all 14 may face the hangman because some of the convicts are currently fighting to overturn their death sentences before the Court of Appeal.
“Out of the 14 convicts facing the death penalty, two are currently before the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn either the conviction or sentence of death or both,” Minister Samukuni said.
Among the death row inmates is former employee of the Civil Aviation Authority Botswana (CAAB), Motlatsi Khoto, who was sentenced to death early this year for the murder of 9-year old Metlha Sibanda.
Ex-girlfriend’s mother
Another is Gobuamang Ntsuape, who was sentenced for the murder of his ex-girlfriend’s mother, Sadi Kgosietsile, in 2016 in Francistown.
Former police officer Atlholang Mujangi was also sentenced to death in 2021 by the Francistown High Court for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Bokani Socks, in 2014.
Congested court diaries
Meanwhile, the justice minister said he could appreciate the slow process of prosecution of murder cases, attributing it to challenges that hinder the courts from meeting the 18-month criminal case timelines, especially during the stage of preparatory examinations.
These challenges, he said, range from delays in conclusion of investigations, delays in assessment of evidence to determine suitability for prosecution, and congested court diaries caused by the heavy workload of judicial officers.