Sekgoma’s lawyers argued that this violated his rights under English law to either be tried or released. Unfortunately for him and other Batswana who followed in his footsteps, the courts ultimately ruled that as a British Protected Person, rather than a subject, Sekgoma had no legal standing. The absolute authority of the High Commissioner, acting on behalf of the British Crown, was thus upheld.Sekgoma’s detention was rooted in disputes over bogosi.
He came to power in 1891 as a regent (motswareledi-kgosi) for his then three year old nephew. But once in power, he tried to cultivate a large group of supporters who would help him claim bogosi in his own right. Sekgoma’s ambition was consistently opposed by most members of the royal family who looked forward to the succession of Mathiba. In 1905 with Sekgoma temporarily out of the way in South Africa, a group of leading royals summoned the now 17 year old Mathiba from school in Cape Town to have him installed. They also sent letters to Khama, whom Sekgoma had already alienated, asking him to convince the government that Sekgoma was not the real chief. This plan worked out, and Mathiba was soon on the train heading back to Ngamiland. Sekgoma heard about the conspiracy. He also got on the train in order to get home quickly. Then British government got involved because it did not want fighting to break out between the supporters of the two men.
