DPP workload increases by 30% in 15 months

Bame Piet
LEARNED FRIENDS: DPP lawyers

The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is handling over 11 903 cases with some dating as far back as 2008.

Between November 2021 and January 2023 a crime wave hit our shores and shot up the cases by 30 percent, making 2022 a difficult year.

“This is a significant increase in the number of cases being handled by the DPP; having in mind that in November 2021 the DPP had just over 8 471 files,” said Minister of Justice Ronald Shamukuni when requesting a budget for the Attorney General’s Chambers on Wednesday afternoon.

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Out of the 11 903 cases, 8 382 of them are pending before the courts while 3 521 are awaiting service of summon while the remaining others are being assessed for possible prosecution.

This means the workload for DPP’s 211 Prosecutors has increased and about to worsen as the organization endeavors to relieve Botswana Police of prosecutorial duties.

Shamukuni says the exercise of relieving the police of prosecution will done gradually and that so far the first step will be to take over in BPS stations where DPP offices are located.

“Thus far, complete takeover has been achieved on a total of 22 police stations in Maun, Kasane, Selibe Phikwe, Palapye, Francistown and Lobatse is scheduled for complete takeover by end of May 2023,” he said.

The organization was allocated approximately P329 million for Recurrent Budget and P24.3 million for Development Budget.

The budget for legal costs was estimated at P25 million.

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