Mmegi

Justice Kebonang irked by ouster allegations

Justice Kebonang said the complainant knowingly presented a complaint that is false  PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Justice Kebonang said the complainant knowingly presented a complaint that is false PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

Justice Zein Kebonang of the Gaborone High Court has taken issues with allegations of misconduct on his part and the alleged ousting of his colleague, Justice Itumeleng Segopolo, from a case.

Justice Kebonang has denied the allegations calling it, "lies and an act of evil and wickedness" on the part of the complainant to question his judicial decisions issued in the course of the management of the said case. “The substance of the complaint as I understand it is that I usurped the parties’ case from Judge Segopolo and that I deliberately sat on issuing a final order in the matter despite being directed to do so by the Court of Appeal,” he said. In a response letter addressed to Chief Justice, Terrence Rannowane, regarding a complaint filed by Bookbinder Business Law on behalf of First National Bank Botswana (FNBB), Justice Kebonang said the complainant knowingly presented a complaint that is false. He explained that no case of misconduct can be found on such mischievous and blatant falsehoods.

“From the onset, I deny generally and specifically every allegation contained in the complaint and urge that the complaint be dismissed in it’s entirely,” Justice Kebonang stated. The Judge, speaking about his recusal and complaint which emanates from a 2021 case between Samson Moyo Guma and FNBB and Others, stated that the complaint filed was long and contained in large parts legal arguments about the correctness or otherwise of the judgments/rulings he has issued in the course of his management of the case. In response, Justice Kebonang said he was not going to engage in a legal contest with the complainant about the correctness or otherwise of the decisions he made or validate the arguments by the complainant. “The process by which an unfavourable judicial decision is overturned or set aside is by a way of judicial process and not an administrative complaint,” he said.

Editor's Comment
Depression is real; let's take care of our mental health

It is not uncommon in this part of the world for parents to actually punish their children when they show signs of depression associating it with issues of indiscipline, and as a result, the poor child will be lashed or given some kind of punishment. We have had many suicide cases in the country and sadly some of the cases included children and young adults. We need to start looking into issues of mental health with the seriousness it...

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