Revamp the police CJ tells government

In my view, it is not enough that culprits are later caught and brought to justice. The emphasis should be prevention because what is important in a peaceful and democratic country is the tranquility and serenity that residents must feel and enjoy. People want to be rest assured that certain crimes - especially the violent and intrusive ones - are rare; if not non-existent, Nganunu said at the official opening of the legal year yesterday. I think Botswana ought to act before the situation gets out of hand, he cautioned.

He said that the number of pending murder cases at the High Court has dropped down significantly. The Chief Justice said that the biggest challenge at the High Court is the large volume of criminal appeals that flow from Magistrates Courts. He said appeals are the only hope for those who are serving long sentences irrespective of merit in the cases they file. There are therefore delays in the disposal of criminal appeals, simply because of the sheer numbers involved, he said.