07 Mar 2013

About 2008 indigent clients were assisted by the Legal Aid Botswana pilot project by January 31. 

The Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Dikgakgamatso Seretse said this when requesting Parliament to approve the sum of P146 012 410.00 for recurrent budget and P26 469 000.00 development budget for the Attorney General’s Chambers.

He explained that 40 per cent of Legal Aid Botswana clients sought assistance in relation to a variety of family problems including divorce, maintenance, domestic violence and custody matters.

Other matters included land disputes, contractual cases, damages claims, industrial matters, wills and estates.

Minister Seretse said an evaluation to be performed at the end of the pilot project in March would inform decisions about the model of legal aid to be adopted.

To this end, he said a Legal Aid Bill would be tabled this year. The minister informed Parliament that 63 per cent of the total recurrent budget would go to emoluments and the balance of 37 per cent would go to other charges and add back items. 

The development budget, he said, would be used for among others, the legal aid project which would take P15 000 000.

In addition, he said  defects liability periods for the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) offices in Gaborone and Francistown would need P6 519 000 to pay out outstanding fees for the main contractor and consultants.

Minister Seretse said P450 000 would be used for the procurement of computers and peripherals and P4 500 000 for the procurement of additional vehicles. ENDS