This week marked the commencement of the 2026 legal year under the theme “Court as a Public Service.” Chief Justice Gaolapelwe Ketlogetswe, the judiciary’s foremost authority, delivered an address reflecting on the state of Botswana’s judiciary, evaluating court performance, and outlining strategic priorities for the coming year. Alongside the Chief Justice’s remarks, the Administration of Justice (AoJ) unveiled its 2025 Annual Report. The document, orchestrated by a committee chaired by Justice Godfrey Nthomiwa, Judge President...

  Following the withdrawal of his recognition certificate, Kgosi Ramono Pilane Linchwe, former regent of the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela in South Africa, has initiated legal proceedings in the High Court. Linchwe is contesting the decision by Northwest Premier Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi to revoke his official status. On January 15, 2026, Linchwe’s legal counsel addressed a letter to Premier Mokgosi, requesting the withdrawal of Pilane’s recognition certificate. The correspondence included a copy of a provincial gazette containing Proclamation...

Two women (same-sex couple) challenging Botswana’s Marriage Act The Gaborone High Court is poised to hear a landmark case brought forward by Bonolo Selelo and Tsholofelo Kumile, a same-sex couple challenging Botswana’s Marriage Act. The plaintiffs argue that the current legislation unlawfully bans same-sex marriages, violating constitutional protections. The couple disclosed that their relationship began in October 2023, with an engagement following a year later. As they planned their wedding, they sought to formalize their...

What initially appeared as a routine border-crossing arrest in Botswana has unraveled a vast narcotics network, linking Mexican chemists and Nigerian intermediaries to a sprawling methamphetamine production facility deep within Mozambique. The suspects were apprehended alongside Uchema Charles Njoku, a Nigerian resident of Botswana now facing charges for aiding and abetting their unlawful entry. This arrest echoes the group’s operations in Mozambique, where another Nigerian national, Samuel Ndubueze Nathan, was identified as the principal coordinator...

Essential medicines have remained out of stock in several health facilities since 2021 A recent report from the Office of the Ombudsman has unveiled a staggering financial threat to Botswana’s healthcare system: over P6.5 billion in legal claims stemming from more than 250 medical malpractice lawsuits filed since 2021. This surge in litigation lays bare years of systemic neglect and institutional failure.  

In the inheritance dispute between Dolly Kwelagobe and Masego Mokubung, culminating in an appeal against an eviction order issued by the magistrate’s court, the High Court has clarified that a title deed does not constitute definitive proof of ownership.   Presiding Judge Michael Moatlhabi held that, although a title deed constitutes prima facie evidence of ownership, the ultimate question of ownership remains a factual matter subject to verification or contestation through further evidentiary submissions.  ...

This week, before Regional Magistrate Mareledi Dipate, formal charges were laid against former Minister of Minerals and Energy Lefoko Moagi. Moagi faces allegations in two distinct cases involving corruption and money laundering. In the first case, the particulars state that on or around April 17, 2024, Moagi, acting in his capacity as a public officer and Minister of the State, received a valuable benefit from New Energy Company (Pty) Ltd. This payment, amounting to P4,706,000.00,...

  In the inheritance dispute between Dolly Kwelagobe and Masego Mokubung, culminating in an appeal against an eviction order issued by the magistrate’s court, the High Court has clarified that a title deed does not constitute definitive proof of ownership.   Presiding Judge Michael Moatlhabi held that, although a title deed constitutes prima facie evidence of ownership, the ultimate question of ownership remains a factual matter subject to verification or contestation through further evidentiary submissions....