Adv. Keetshabe is 5th citizen Attorney General

Promoter of good governance, democracy and the rule of law, Advocate Abraham Merryweather Keetshabe started work on Monday as the fifth Attorney General of the country. This follows the retirement of Athalia Molokomme last year. The first Motswana to hold the AG office was Moleleki Didwell Mokama, then Phandu Skelemani, Ian Kirby followed by the only woman, Molokomme.

Adv. Keetshabe’s appointment enables him to assume the constitutional role of principal legal advisor to the government. Who is Keetshabe A native of Molepolole in the Kweneng District, the light skinned soft spoken and highly industrious fellow has worked his way to the top. He started as a practising lawyer for more than three decades after graduating from the University of Botswana in conjunction with the University of Edinburg, Scotland and immediately joined the judiciary as a junior magistrate, rising through the ranks to become the first Motswana to hold the position of Chief Magistrate.He has worked as Deputy Attorney General responsible for civil litigation affairs and successfully represented the government in several landmark cases that now provide legal precedent and jurisprudence in this country. As a magistrate in Molepolole and Bobirwa areas, he was renowned for imposing stiffer penalties on stock theft and rape convicts in his heydays.

At one stage he sentenced a habitual stock theft culprit to 60 years imprisonment ,stating that he wants to give farmers peace of mind as well as allow cattle to reproduce whilst the convict is in custody.In 2011 he joined the Office of the President as General Counsel. In this capacity, his primary responsibility was the provision of legal services to the presidency where amongst others he coordinated the development of the country’s ICT legislative framework. Although he went on to serve with distinction at the beginning, many critics raised concern over this appointment some even suggesting that in a way the then AG Molokomme was being pushed out, but that was never the case as they both served the nation with diligence.Five years later Keetshabe was appointed Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), this time to lead the prosecution of criminal cases in the country. Keetshabe has served the legal fraternity in many respects as Deputy Registrar and Master of the High Court at both Francistown and Lobatse high courts respectively. As AG, he is not only principal legal advisor to the government, but will be called upon to clean the AG’s Chambers.