During the national lockdown scheduled to commence on Sunday midnight and end on April 21, 2020, daily operations within the High Court of Lesotho, Master of the High Court and subordinate courts will change.
This is according to the Judiciary Circular notice no.2 of 2020 issued on Friday which states that bail applications will only be heard on Mondays from 10:00 am at the High Court adding that a judge on call will stay at home ready to be available and entertain extremely urgent matters throughout this period.
It states that whenever there is an urgent application to be moved, the office of the Registrar will be contacted on numbers provided.
The Circular notice further states that only services related to accessing monies from the Guardian’s Funds will be availed in respect of emergency on Wednesdays from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. It adds that the office of the Master will be accessible on telephone numbers provided.
Furthermore, the notice indicates that remands of both suspects remanded in custody and those who are out on bail will not be held at the subordinate courts. It adds that there shall be no business at all by the central and local courts during the lock-down period.
The notice further adds that Chief Magistrates will be contacted on their telephone numbers for any urgent matter including bail applications and remanding of suspects who will be brought to court for first appearance.
Lockdown in Lesotho starts on Sunday midnight to April 21 following an official statement on COVID-19 by the Prime Minister, Dr Motsoahae Thomas Thabane on COVID-19. The lockdown is one of the preventive measures against the Coronavirus 19.
Source: LENA 27/03/2020