6 hours agoBotswana’s GBV Case Backlog Deepens as Specialized Courts Falter

Notably, the report omits the breakdown of disposal rates and pending cases by individual magisterial stations; a detail that previous reports diligently provided. According to the latest figures, 2,815 GBV cases were carried over from the close of 2024, while 2,397 new cases were registered throughout 2025. This brought the total caseload for the year to 5,212.

Of these, 2,339 cases reached completion, leaving 2,873 unresolved in the courts. The clearance rate of 44.88% in 2025 marks a slight decline from the 46.08% recorded in 2023. Although the 2024 report lacked comprehensive GBV statistics, it noted that the clearance ratios for eight courts, including Bobonong, Broadhurst, Extension II, Francistown, Ghanzi, Gumare, Hukuntsi, and Jwaneng, ranged from 0.84 to 1.40.

A clearance ratio below 1.00 signals a growing backlog, while a figure above 1.00 suggests progress in reducing it. The detailed 2023 report had highlighted a 13% increase in the disposal of GBV cases, encompassing offences such as rape, assault, defilement, and restraining orders. It also revealed that most magistrates handling GBV cases were simultaneously managing mainstream caseloads, with rape cases notably delayed by forensic evidence processing, which averages a year’s wait.

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Further insights from the 2025 report show magistrates’ courts grappling with a total caseload of 11,346 cases. Of these, 6,938 were carried forward from 2024, 4,408 were newly registered, and 4,186 were completed, leaving 7,160 cases pending. The disposal rate for criminal cases stood at a mere 36.89%.

Among the various judicial dockets, the GBV specialized courts rank among the poorest performers, alongside criminal and stock theft courts. The AOJ spotlights the excessive case-to-magistrate ratio as the principal concern, especially at busy Chief Magistrates’ stations and moderately active Principal Magistrates’ stations. This imbalance fuels case backlogs and delays, undermining both the quality and thoroughness of judicial decisions, as magistrates struggle to keep pace with their mounting caseloads.

“The relentless volume of work also negatively affects judicial well-being, leading to burnout and chronic stress among magistrates. Magistrates’ Courts are crippled by a widespread lack of essential resources, which are severely hindering daily operations and efficiency.” Resource shortages encompass severe personnel deficits, with a critical lack of both magistrates and support staff hampering the courts’ capacity to manage workloads effectively. “Some stations, such as Shakawe, Palapye, and Gumare, are run by a single Magistrate.

Many stations lack basic modern infrastructure, including access to the internet, and there are insufficient computers for the support personnel. Facilities are often dilapidated.” Compounding these issues is a dire supply crisis. A government moratorium on issuing Government Purchase Orders has left courts unable to procure fundamental necessities.

Requests for authorization to buy basic items like stationery remain unanswered. The shortage is so acute that some stations lack essentials such as diaries for scheduling cases, printing paper for typed proceedings, court orders, judgments, and even basic light bulbs to illuminate courtrooms, further exacerbating the problem of decaying infrastructure. “Specialized courts, designed to handle specific types of cases efficiently (e.g., child maintenance cases, stock theft cases, small claims), are currently specialized in name only.

Due to the overarching shortage of magistrates, officers designated for specialized courts are frequently allocated general caseloads.” This practice effectively nullifies the intended benefits of specialization, causing delays in disposing of cases within these dockets. For example, at Francistown Magistrates’ Court, magistrates alternate duties instead of having a dedicated judicial officer, undermining efficiency and consistency.

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