serious criminal cases where the accused face the prospect of the death penalty. In the short term the situation could be improved by enforcement of Section 56 in a way that enables junior practitioners to be led by senior practitioners in pro Deo cases. This would avoid the potential prejudice to murder accused being defended by inexperienced practitioners while maintaining the training function of the pro Deo system. The obvious downside of this proposal is the additional cost to government coupled with the reluctance of many senior private practitioners to provide community service. Duty to Guarantee the Independence of the Judiciary The Judiciary is established under Chapter VI of the Constitution as an independent arm of the State with the responsibility to administer justice. The Independence of the Judiciary is succinctly demonstrated in the case of Mmusi and others Vs Ramantele where the High Court firmly asserted its Independence from the Legislative Arm of Government in the following terms “….Where Parliament is slow to effect the promise of the Constitution, the High Court being the fountain of justice and the guardian of the Constitution will not hesitate to perform its constitutional duty when called upon to do so” The ability of the Judiciary to discharge its functions efficiently also depends on the support it receives from other institutions linked to the administration of justice as the Attorney General’s Chambers, Botswana Police Service, Botswana Prisons and the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (DCEC). Cases Brought Before The Courts During The Period Under Review. [The table below provides the number of cases heard in the period reflected (including legal aid matters). Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 42 | P a g e Number of cases heard 50980 48258 61745 52368 55207 45483 needs to be updated