Court affirms adopted children's inheritance rights in landmark ruling

Tuesday, April 28, 2026 | 360 Views |

This pronouncement aligns Botswana law with modern principles of child welfare PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO

The High Court has delivered another far-reaching judgment on family and succession law, with Justice Dr Zein Kebonang affirming that adopted children enjoy the same inheritance rights as biological children, in a ruling expected to shape future estate disputes in Botswana.

In the matter involving the Lebese family, the court dismissed an application by relatives of the late Goitseone Lebese seeking to overturn an earlier order recognising one Basimane Lebese as her adopted child and lawful heir.

The applicants, who are the deceased’s siblings and relatives, argued that the respondent was neither biologically related to the deceased nor formally adopted under customary law.

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