05 Jul 2018

The Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security is currently looking at the challenges presented by non-alignment of locations and long distances between facilities in the justice delivery chain.

This was said by Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Nonofo Molefhi, when responding to a question in parliament from Nata/Gweta MP, Mr Polson Majaga, on behalf of defence, justice and security minister, Mr Shaw Kgathi.

These challenges, Mr Molefhi said were at facilities such as prisons, police stations, offices of the Directorate of Public Prosecution, magistrate and high courts in areas between Francistown,Maun,Kasane and Shakawe.

“This challenge also applies to areas between Lobatse and the southern most parts of the country,” he added.

The challenges presented by this scenario, the minister said would be key in the prioritisation and choice of location of facilities during NDP 12 planning and budgeting processes.

“I believe Dukwi or Nata will be considered within the prioritisation and selection of location framework which would be developed in due course,” he said.

He also noted that transporting prisoners on a daily basis to the courts between long distances was costly, ‘basically in terms of fuel consumption and subsistence costs for officers.’

Mr Majaga had asked if the minister would consider constructing a prison facility in Nata or Dukwi to cater for prisoners who were often brought before different courts in the Northern Region, especially Maun,

Kasane, Nata and Masunga. The Nata Gweta MP also wanted to know whether transporting prisoners on a daily basis to the courts was not costly. ENDS