Abstract The incidence of stock theft has been high in Botswana, as it is elsewhere in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In 1996, the problem compelled the country’s parliament to intervene and enact the Stock Theft Act. After 22 years of its being in operation, however, there is little evidence to suggest that the Act’s harsh penalties have led to a reduction in cattle theft. A more serious problem with the law is that its penalties are imposed by customary courts with scarcely any safeguards in place to ensure that justice is done. Arguably, justice is sacrificed at the altar of expediency in response to widespread popular revulsion against cattle thieves. This paper engages with the problem of cattle theft, examining what motivated the adoption of such a harsh law and what the implications are of granting customary courts the jurisdiction to deal with these matters. While there is an urgent need to repeal the Act, in the meantime it should be applied strictly, with all presiding officers of customary courts being required, at the beginning of every stock-theft proceeding, to inform the accused that he or she has a right to opt for a trial before a Magistrates’ court. This is one of the few safeguards provided for by the Act, but because it is ignored so often, many people end up in prison when they might have been acquitted had they been tried by the better-equipped Magistrates’ courts.

中文翻译：

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博茨瓦纳的股票盗窃法和习惯法庭：为了权宜之计牺牲了正义？

摘要与南部非洲发展共同体 (SADC) 的其他地方一样，博茨瓦纳的股票盗窃发生率一直很高。1996 年，该问题迫使该国议会进行干预并颁布了《股票盗窃法》。然而，在其运行 22 年后，几乎没有证据表明该法案的严厉处罚导致了偷牛的减少。法律的一个更严重的问题是，它的惩罚是由习惯法庭施加的，几乎没有任何保障措施来确保伸张正义。可以说，为了回应大众对偷牛贼的普遍反感，在权宜之计的祭坛上牺牲了正义。本文涉及偷牛问题，审查通过这种严厉法律的动机是什么，以及授予习惯法院处理这些问题的管辖权有什么影响。虽然迫切需要废除该法案，但同时应严格执行该法案，要求习惯法院的所有主审官在每次股票盗窃程序开始时通知被告他或她有选择在地方法院进行审判的权利。这是该法规定的少数保障措施之一，但由于它经常被忽视，许多人如果被装备更好的治安法庭审判，可能会被判无罪，但最终却被关进了监狱。习惯法院的所有主审官都必须在每次股票盗窃诉讼开始时通知被告，他或她有权选择在地方法院进行审判。这是该法规定的少数保障措施之一，但由于它经常被忽视，许多人如果被装备更好的治安法庭审判，可能会被判无罪，但最终却被关进了监狱。习惯法院的所有主审官都必须在每次股票盗窃诉讼开始时通知被告，他或她有权选择在地方法院进行审判。这是该法规定的少数保障措施之一，但由于它经常被忽视，许多人如果被装备更好的治安法庭审判，可能会被判无罪，但最终却被关进了监狱。