High Court of Botswana
{{Short description|Highest court in Botswana}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox court
|court_name = High Court of Botswana
|image = File:Coat of arms of Botswana.svg
|imagesize = 250px
|caption = Coat of arms of Botswana
|established = 1938
|jurisdiction = Botswana
|location = Gaborone, Lobatse, Francistown, and Maun
|appealsto = Court of Appeal
|website = {{URL|https://www.justice.gov.bw/}}
}}
{{Politics of Botswana}}
The High Court of Botswana is a superior court of law in Botswana. It is based in Gaborone with branches in Lobatse, Francistown, and Maun.{{Cite journal|last=Redgment|first=John|date=1988|title=The structure of the courts of appeal of Botswana, Bophuthatswana and Zimbabwe|journal=The Comparative and International Law Journal of Southern Africa|volume=21|issue=1|pages=105–113|issn=0010-4051|jstor=23247649}} It operates above the Magistrates' Courts of Botswana, but below the Appeal Court.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gov.bw/en/Ministries--Authorities/Ministries/Administration-of-Justice-AOJ/About-AOJ/The-Hierarchy-of-the-Courts/|title=Administration of Justice - The Hierarchy of the Courts|website=www.gov.bw|access-date=2019-06-11|publisher=Government of Botswana}} The High Court is headed by the Chief Justice of Botswana.
History
Bechuanaland Protectorate was a British protectorate established in 1885, which became the Republic of Botswana in 1966.{{cite news|title=Botswana profile|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13041658 | publisher=BBC News | date=9 August 2012}} The Protectorate's legal system was heavily influenced by Roman-Dutch law, inherited through the Cape Colony. Additionally, English common law also shaped the system, particularly in relation to criminal and evidence law. Customary law existed alongside colonial statutes but it lacked formal recognition until later.{{cite journal |author=Bankie Forster |date=1981 |title=Introduction to the History of the Administration of Justice of the Republic of Botswana |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40979639 |journal=Botswana Notes and Records |volume=13 |issue= |pages=89-100 |doi= |access-date=14 December 2024}}
The judicial system in the Protectorate consisted of judicial commissioners and customary courts. The High Court of Botswana was officially established in 1938.{{cite web |author=Lubabalo Booi |title=Botswana’s Legal System and Legal Research |date=October 2006 |url=https://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/botswana.html#establishment-of-the-high-court-of-botswana-and-other-courts |website=GlobaLex |publisher=NYU Law}} It was modeled after the Supreme Court of South Africa.
Appeals from the High Court were directly made to the Privy Council. In 1954, a court of appeal was established for appeals from Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland. The final appeals to the Privy Council were continued till 1973.{{cite act |title=Judicial Committee (Abolition of Appeals) Act 1973 |type= |date=9 August 1973 |institution=National Assembly of Botswana |at= |url=https://botswanalaws.com/StatutesActpdf/1973Actpdf/JUDICIAL%20COMMITTEE%20(ABOLITION%20OF%20APPEALS)%20ACT,%2019%20OF%201973.pdf |access-date=14 December 2024}}
Judges
The High Court consisted of expatriate judges until 1992.{{cite web |title=About the High Court |website=Botswana Judiciary |url=https://www.justice.gov.bw/services/about-high-court |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206165306/https://www.justice.gov.bw/services/about-high-court |archive-date=6 December 2024 |access-date=15 December 2024 |publisher=Government of Botswana}} Since then, Batswana citizens were appointed to the Court. As of 2024, all the judges on the Court were Batswana citizens.
=List of chief justices of Botswana=
| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2"|Chief Justice ! colspan="2"|Term ! Ref. |
| {{Flag icon|Rhodesia}}
| style="text-align:center;" | 1968 | style="text-align:center;" | 1971 | style="text-align:center;" rowspan=8 | {{cite news |url= http://www.olddailynews.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d=20120927 |title= Efficient judicial system ensures justice |date=27 September 2002 |newspaper=Daily News Botswana |place=Gaborone |access-date= 15 December 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160305121224/http://www.olddailynews.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d=20120927 |archive-date= 5 March 2016}} |
| rowspan=2 |{{Flag icon|Nigeria}}
| style="text-align:center;" | 1972 | style="text-align:center;" | 1975 |
| George O. L. Dyke
| style="text-align:center;" | 1975 | style="text-align:center;" | 1977 |
| {{Flag icon|Ghana}}
| Robert John Hayfron-Benjamin | style="text-align:center;" | 1977 | style="text-align:center;" | 1981 |
| {{Flag icon|Republic of Ireland}}
| style="text-align:center;" | 1981 | style="text-align:center;" | 1987 |
| {{Flag icon|Sierra Leone}}
| Eben Livesey Luke | style="text-align:center;" | 1987 | style="text-align:center;" | 1992 |
| rowspan=5 | {{Flag icon|Botswana}}
| Moleleki Mokama | style="text-align:center;" | 1992 | style="text-align:center;" | 1997 |
| Julian Nganunu
| style="text-align:center;" | 1997 | style="text-align:center;" | 2010 |
| rowspan=2 | Maruping Dibotelo
| style="text-align:center;" | November 2009 | style="text-align:center;" | 1 February 2010 | style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | {{Cite news |author=Bame Piet |date=3 February 2010 |title=Dibotelo replaces Nganunu |url=https://www.mmegi.bw/news/dibotelo-replaces-nganunu/news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221121032225/https://www.mmegi.bw/news/dibotelo-replaces-nganunu/news |archive-date=21 November 2022 |access-date=15 December 2024 |newspaper=Mmegi}} |
| style="text-align:center;" | 2 February 2010
| style="text-align:center;" | 30 April 2018 |
| Terence Rannowane
| style="text-align:center;" | 30 April 2018 | style="text-align:center;" | Incumbent | style="text-align:center;" | {{cite news |title=Rannowane sworn in as Chief Justice |newspaper=Mmegi |url=https://www.mmegi.bw/news/rannowane-sworn-in-as-chief-justice/news |date=1 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241215145137/https://www.mmegi.bw/news/rannowane-sworn-in-as-chief-justice/news |archive-date=15 December 2024 |access-date=15 December 2024}} |
Notable cases
- Mmusi v Ramantele (2012)
- Tapela v Attorney General (2014){{cite news |author=SABC News |url=http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/b86f04004450c47dac75afb0b8d8c2ff/Botswana-court-to-hear-arguments-in-ARV-treatment-case-20141006 |title=Botswana court to hear arguments in ARV treatment case |date=2014-06-10 |accessdate=2014-12-04}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{Africa topic|Supreme Court of|title=Supreme Courts of Africa|countries_only=yes}}
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