Lesotho faces difficulties over outstanding judgments

That two judges can quit office, leaving behind them a combined total of 212 judgments outstanding, some dating back more than 30 years, as well as 29 part-heard matters, is almost unbelievable. But unfortunately it’s true, and indicates the level of difficulties faced by Lesotho’s judiciary. Now a new decision, by a full Bench of Lesotho’s High Court, sitting as a Constitutional Court, clarifies a crucial issue: when a judge retires or resigns in Lesotho, it is compulsory – not optional that he or she should still complete all pending judicial work. Carmel Rickard unpacks the judgment in her A Matter of Justice column on the Legalbrief site.