- Project facing challenges - Project increased workload on prosecutors
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) continues the process of taking over the prosecutorial functions from the Botswana Police Service as directed by Presidential Directive of 2006.
This was revealed by the Attorney General Mmako Abram this week, who stated that since the inception of the project, the DPP has extended its offices to Maun, Selibe Phikwe, Palapye, Kasane and Tsabong.
“However, we still need to have footprints in other parts of the country and as a result require more resources to do so. This is, in my view, a good case for collaboration by all players in the justice ecosystem.
“We have however, noticed that the project has brought about additional workload as it uses the existing resources,” she said.
Abram who was speaking at the opening of the 2025 Legal Year, said this has resulted in fatigue experienced by prosecutors together with everything associated with fatigue.
"In this connection, we have been discussing this with the Minister as well as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services and have agreed to request Cabinet that we put the Project on hold until it is properly resourced," Abram said, adding that this is also partly in view of the justice ecosystem collaboration envisaged.
“I spoke earlier of leveraging on digitisation. Let me reiterate here that all role players in the sector must be fully digitised and have fully functional systems (case management systems) that speak to each other.
“To this end, it is important to ensure that there is a deliberate intention to invest in IT infrastructure across all Departments that play a role in the delivery of justice,” she stated.
She pointed out that the provision of IT equipment and access to reliable internet facilities is essential for purposes of research when officers within the justice ecosystem carry out their respective mandates, be it investigation, prosecution or adjudication.
She revealed that the DPP has been engaged immensely in the process of digitising its processes. Abram said as a primary step, the electronic Case Management System has been rolled out to all DPP offices for utilisation.
She added, “if we are to have a Judiciary that is customer focused, efficient and trusted by the public we need to invest in a robust and efficient real-time recording system of court proceedings which will in turn result in the speedy conclusion of matters, bearing in mind the cost associated with litigation and the injustice occasioned to litigants when justice is delayed.”
This was revealed by the Attorney General Mmako Abram this week, who stated that since the inception of the project, the DPP has extended its offices to Maun, Selibe Phikwe, Palapye, Kasane and Tsabong.
“However, we still need to have footprints in other parts of the country and as a result require more resources to do so. This is, in my view, a good case for collaboration by all players in the justice ecosystem.
“We have however, noticed that the project has brought about additional workload as it uses the existing resources,” she said.
Abram who was speaking at the opening of the 2025 Legal Year, said this has resulted in fatigue experienced by prosecutors together with everything associated with fatigue.
"In this connection, we have been discussing this with the Minister as well as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services and have agreed to request Cabinet that we put the Project on hold until it is properly resourced," Abram said, adding that this is also partly in view of the justice ecosystem collaboration envisaged.
“I spoke earlier of leveraging on digitisation. Let me reiterate here that all role players in the sector must be fully digitised and have fully functional systems (case management systems) that speak to each other.
“To this end, it is important to ensure that there is a deliberate intention to invest in IT infrastructure across all Departments that play a role in the delivery of justice,” she stated.
She pointed out that the provision of IT equipment and access to reliable internet facilities is essential for purposes of research when officers within the justice ecosystem carry out their respective mandates, be it investigation, prosecution or adjudication.
She revealed that the DPP has been engaged immensely in the process of digitising its processes. Abram said as a primary step, the electronic Case Management System has been rolled out to all DPP offices for utilisation.
She added, “if we are to have a Judiciary that is customer focused, efficient and trusted by the public we need to invest in a robust and efficient real-time recording system of court proceedings which will in turn result in the speedy conclusion of matters, bearing in mind the cost associated with litigation and the injustice occasioned to litigants when justice is delayed.”
