GABORONE, Oct. 17 — Botswana will establish a specialized criminal court to prosecute money laundering and corruption cases as part of efforts to strengthen its financial integrity framework, President Duma Boko announced Thursday. Speaking at the opening of the Africa Civil Society Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Conference in Gaborone, Botswana‘s capital, Boko said a strong justice system is essential to effectively address such complex financial crimes. “We need to have institutions to administer the law,” Boko said. “The chief justice has set in motion an arrangement to establish a specialized, dedicated criminal court with judges who will deal specifically with these criminal cases.” The planned reform aims to ensure that high-profile corruption and money laundering cases receive dedicated attention and expert adjudication, addressing a common bottleneck in many legal systems. Botswana‘s Minister of Labor and Home Affairs Pius Mokgware said the conference seeks to strengthen the role of civil society in combating financial crimes. He stressed the need for collective reform across Africa, focusing on safeguarding civic space and advancing Africa-led solutions through inclusive dialogue. Highlighting the economic toll of illicit financial flows, Yona Wanjala, executive director of the Civic Advisory Hub, said Africa loses an estimated 88.6 billion U.S. dollars annually to such practices. He called for stronger cross-regional collaboration and coherent policy strategies to stem the losses. Held under the theme “Placing Civic Space at the Heart of Combating Money Laundering, Countering Terrorism, and its Financing in Africa,” the conference brought together around 120 stakeholders from civil society, government, and the financial sector to promote inclusive, transparent, and rights-based anti-money laundering initiatives across the continent.
Xinhua
