Scope of Services

Prior to the 1st October 2005 there was no Directorate of Public Prosecutions and prosecutorial functions were vested squarely and exclusively on the Attorney-General. The 1st day of October 2005 saw the coming into effect of the Constitution (Amendment) Act No 9 of 2005 which provided for the appointment of a Director of Public Prosecutions with an entrenched tenure of office and constitutional protection.

The first Director of the Directorate was Mrs. Leatile Isabella Dambe, who held the office until August 2010 where it was resumed by Mr. Leonard Bapswa Sechele from July 2010 until July 2015. Subsequently, Advocate Abraham Merrywheather Keetshabe assumed office from March 2016 until August 2017 when the reigns were handed over to Adv. Stephen Basi Tiroyakgosi to present.

The office of the DPP is not entirely independent, it remains under the administrative supervision of the Attorney General basically for institutional accountability. The DPP is required to consult the Attorney General on cases considered by the latter to be of national importance. However the final decision however on who and whether or not to prosecute remains that of the DPP.

However the Director remains under the administrative supervision of the Attorney-General for institutional accountability, and is required to consult the AG on cases considered by the latter to be of national importance. The final decision on who and whether or not to prosecute remains that of the DPP.