Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Commercial Division of the High Court has temporarily suspended its services owing to its employee who tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19).
This is according to the statement released by the Registrar of the High Court and Appeal Court Advocate ‘Mathato Sekoai on Sunday, July 19. It further says, the court will
be closed from July 20 to July 26 whereon during that closure, staff members will undergo a 14 day self-quarantine. During this time, officials from the
Ministry of Health (MoH) are expected to launch contact tracing. The statement further says, the services of the court will be offered at the High Court premises.
On Wednesday last week, the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Commercial Division of the High Court premises were fumigated, an exercise that was meant to “minimize the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
” Meanwhile last week Tuesday saw the passing on of the judge of this court, Justice Lisebo Chaka-Makhooane who is
reported by the court officials to have passed on last week Tuesday at the Maseru Private Hospital following a short illness. Within the space of two months
this Commercial Division of the High Court has lost two legal brains. Justice Lebohang Molete who was a judge in this court passed on late May this year.
Following these losses of the two judges, the commercial court is currently without judges. Last month two Judges of the High Court retired, Justice Semapo Peete and Justice Tebobo Moiloa.
The Acting Chief Justice ‘Maseforo Mahase in June said it has been two years since she made a request for additional judges to ease the case backlog of the High Court.
On the other hand, the Minister of Law, Justice, Constitutional Affairs and Human Rights, Hon. Nqosa Mahao said acting judges will be appointed without specifying a date.
He however, said the newly built and to be opened Tšifa-li-Mali Court Complex will have one Judge posted when opened before the end of financial year (March 31, 2021).
Also, this year the Court of Appeal’s 2020 legal year was postponed to May as opposed to April as per its norm, as a precautionary measure against the pandemic according to the
Judiciary’s statement. The apex court also heard the cases through teleconferencing medium with its judges connected from their countries, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa (SA) with exception of its President Justice Kananelo Mosito who was presiding over the cases in his chambers.
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