Corpun file 22022

Mmegi, Gaborone, 3 February 2010

Bailiffs to administer corporal punishment

By Ephraim Keoreng
Staff Writer

The Department of Tribal Administration has said that it is currently recruiting people for the post of assistant court bailiff to administer corporal punishment.

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In the past, officers from the now defunct Local Police used to administer this form of punishment. The department has said that they expect to employ 322 assistant court bailiffs by the beginning of the next financial year, which starts in April.

In an interview with Mmegi, the department's deputy director Tumelo Seboko said that besides administering corporal punishment, the duties of the officers will entail implementing customary court orders.

Seboko explained that the officers will also have to trace customary court defaulters.

"They will also facilitate the removal of attached property from places of attachment. That is moving the property to the customary court for auctioning. The bailiffs will also hoist and remove flags," he said.

The department put out an advert last month in which they indicated that they were seeking for people with a certificate in law, public administration, human resource management or any related field.

Applicants with at least two years experience as Senior Clerk Assistants would stand a good chance for these positions.

The deputy director added that local police officers who have not been taken into the Botswana Police Service will be redeployed to other units within his department.

"We are exploring a number of areas including the bailiff position, but of course it would depend on their ranks," he said.