Match made in hell: Death penalty and murder

Abhorred by the Right-To-Life brigade, the death penalty has been the terrible twin of murder and related crimes in Botswana since before the dawn of democracy.

In short, in Botswana, premeditated murder is punishable by death. Period.

In most instances, murder cases and the sentences thereafter meted out to the convicted, are like a match made in hell (the opposite of heaven). It leaves a sour taste in the minds of those against state-sanctioned retribution and on the other hand satisfaction and closure for the victims and their loved ones. The story of Mariette Bosch, the South African white woman who murdered her best friend in Botswana with a gun she borrowed in her home country so that she could marry her husband is a case in point.

Editor's Comment
Micro-procurement maze demands urgent reform

Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...

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