Trailblazing Dingake joins Seychelles CoA
Staff Writer | Friday August 14, 2020 12:58
Sources confirmed that Dingake took an oath to uphold the Constitution of Seychelles and other laws before the President of Seychelles, Danny Faure at the State House in Victoria, Seychelles.
The quintessential and trailblazing towering jurist has become one of Botswana’s true exports to the world.
It is understood that soon after taking oath, he will proceed to Papua New Guinea (PNG) to complete his term and thereafter return to Seychelles in January 2021 to start his new assignment and life.
Those in the know say that in January 2020, following a fierce competitive selection process and shortlisting, Dingake emerged at the top of the pile.
He was then offered the position of the President of the CoA of Seychelles, after beating his main challenger, a local who was also the longest serving judge of that country’s CoA.
A stalemate however ensued as some considered that the position be given to a local. Justice Dingake’s views on the stalemate were sought by authorities.
He apparently magnanimously and readily agreed to the suggestion and broke the stalemate.
Justice Dingake joins an eminent and intellectual bench of five justices that includes a PhD holder and two Professors of Law. It is worth noting that three of the justices are women.
Judge Dingake’s term of office as Justice of the Supreme and National Courts of PNG ends in December 2020.
In PNG he leaves a proud legacy of delivering judgements speedily. In May 2019, the Chief Justice appointed him to lead the Efficiency Task Force, a committee of judges and registrars, to tackle a backlog of cases and delays in delivery of judgements and to recommend ways to enhance the efficiency of the courts.
In January 2020, he was also assigned to head the Judicial Review Track of the Court that mainly deals with review of governmental decisions.
Sources close to government enclave say that the Judge travelled to Seychelles from Botswana recently following bilateral discussions and cooperation between the Government of Botswana (GoB) and Seychelles. It is said GoB is apparently proud that Dingake will be going to serve in a sister African country and has full confidence that he will perform his duties diligently as is characteristic of his personal brand of doing justice to all without fear or favour, and dispensing justice speedily.
Many in the legal and judicial circles in Botswana and Africa say if merit were the pre-eminent threshold to lead the Judiciary, he would have been the inevitable choice of Chief Justice after retirement of Chief Justice Dibotelo.
His colleagues in academia and the bench say he is Botswana’s Chief Justice that never was.
On the occasion of his farewell party in January 2018, on the eve of his departure to PNG, his brother Michael Kitso Dingake, whilst eulogising his qualities and juridical achievements, said his brother is Botswana’s crown jewel.
“We must pat ourselves on the back that he is Botswana’s most precious export commodity, exceeding the Lucara Diamond in the global market. None can say Botswana has not contributed positively to the globalisation phenomenon integrating the world and humanity at large…”
There is a general widespread belief amongst the public, even lawyers and judges that given his progressive and independent streak, government, at least the previous government, working in cahoots with some judicial leaders, has done everything in its power to frustrate his rise, ignoring his internationally acknowledged abilities and talents.
The example that is often given is that some years back, the Government of Lesotho had approached the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in Botswana to allow Justice Dingake to serve in their CoA. The JSC apparently refused.
So revered by his peers that the former Chief Justice, Julian Nganunu, once intimated, upon being asked, following his retirement, whether he did not consider returning to the bench.
In his response, Nganunu said, he could, but only if the Judiciary was under the leadership of a young and intelligent jurist. Many who also knew his respect for Judge Dingake, say by “young and intelligent” Nganunu was referring to Judge Dingake.
This appointment comes a few months after the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, in December 2019, re-appointed Justice Dingake to another six-year term, as Justice of the Residual Special Court of Sierra Leone (RSCSL) based in Freetown and the Hague (Netherlands).