Africa-Press – Botswana. The Ministry for State President has approached the Attorney General’s Chambers for guidance regarding a case where 154 former police officers had since approached the courts seeking reinstatement or compensation.
Answering a question in Parliament, the minister, Mr Moeti Mohwasa said the officer’s resolve to approach the courts was based on the precedent set by the decision in the Mr Keitshepile Molebalwa case, where the court held that by virtue of being junior officer, the applicant was entitled to be tried before Class III as a Board of first instance. The minister noted that while the specific decision in the Mr Molebalwa case led to the individual’s reinstatement, the ruling was specific to that particular case. He however, said the case for the 154 officers were currently being reviewed on their individual merits and government was awaiting guidance on how to proceed. Minister Mohwasa was responding to a question from Tlokweng MP, Mr Phenyo Segokgo who wanted to know if the minister was aware of the core of the issue revolving around Constable Keitshepile Molebalwa’s case. He said the Court of Appeal had ruled that the Commissioner of Police had acted unlawfully by subjecting junior officers to a Class II Disciplinary Board when they should have been tried by a Class III Board. Mr Segokgo had also asked the minister to state plans to ensure that these officers returned to work or were compensated for unlawful dismissal and for the matter to be settled outside court to avoid high costs of suits.
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