Botswana courts go digital

  1. Posted on Friday 6 March 2009 - 10:00
    Mernat
    Image of Mernat
    Mernat Mafirakurewa, AfricaNews reporter in Johannesburg, South Africa
    Botswana courts will soon go digital in a development that will allow cases to be heard via video conferencing, the Minister of Defense, Justice and Security Dikgakgamatso Seretse has said. He said this will also give members of the public and lawyers access to court records at the click of a mouse.
    gavel
    “The changes are meant to provide easy and quick access to judicial information and expedite the pace of trials,” he said.

    Video conferencing was first used by the Botswana judicial system in 2007 to hear testimony from an ailing witness residing in South Africa.

    Seretse told Parliament that very soon, a kiosk with a user- friendly computer will be introduced at the main foyer of the High Court. This is meant to facilitate quick and easy access to information on cases by computer literate litigants.

    A display screen which automatically runs information on cases will also be mounted in the courts.

    With the enactment of the relevant piece of legislation to provide for electronically generated documents and related transactions, Seretse said the use of biometrics (digital photos, finger-prints), and digital signatures will be implemented to improve the performance of the courts.

    To ensure that the new changes take effect as soon as possible, the Administration of Justice has been rolling out Court Records Management System (CRMS) to magistrates' stations.

    He said to-date; the system has been installed at the Lobatse and Francistown divisions of the High Court, and at magistrates' courts in Selebi-Phikwe, Gaborone Village, Broadhurst, Jwaneng, Palapye, Mahalapye, Mochudi, Molepolole, Francistown, Maun and Gantsi.

    The minister stated that the system will be rolled out to the remaining stations this month. He added that the exercise will facilitate an efficient and effective judicial service and court annexed mediations.

    The CRMS will be upgraded to keep up with the latest technologies and ensure that the courts get system enhancements allowing automatic assignment of cases to judges in line with the requirements of the judicial case management.

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