Call to disbar killer lawyer posthumously
Two local attorneys, Gosego Lekgowe and Kabo Motswagole, have written to the Law Society of Botswana ( LSB) seeking the deceased lawyer, Steve Rankwane of Armstrong Attorneys to be struck off the Roll of Practicing Attorneys, posthumously.
Rankwane last week shot to death Senior Associate at Bookbinder Business Law, Chatapiwa Keakantse before turning the gun on himself.
The two lawyers made a referral for breach of ethics by the late Rankwane to Law Society of Botswana in terms of Section 49( 1) of the Legal Practitioners Act – CAP 61: 01.
The duo made the formal complaint of professional misconduct against the late Rankwane, admitted to the bar as Steve Sibanda, in 2013.
“On the 14th of January 2021, about four days ago, Steve Rankwane deliberately and heartlessly caused the death of Attorney Ms. Chatapiwa Keakantse by shooting her with a gun, murdering her in cold blood. It is now known, by all, including the Law Society of Botswana, that both attorney Ms. Chatapiwa Keakantse and Steve Rankwane are no more,” stated the attorneys in their letter.
They added, “We submit as follows: the late Steve Rankwane killed a fellow attorney, in very horrible circumstances that have left the members of the profession and the nation reeling in shock, pain and absolute disbelief; he then shot himself and committed suicide – and thereby robbed the society of the opportunity to use the criminal justice machinery to exact justice; Steve Rankwane committed the ultimate crime of murder, contrary to Section 202 of the Penal Code; Upon admission, an attorney takes an oath to demean himself according to the dictates of the office of an attorney and is ethically expected to behave honorably.”
The duo said they believe and submit that by committing the crime of murder or killing a fellow practitioner and human being, Rankwane not only breached the national penal law, but also fell afoul of the ethics of the Legal Profession in his capacity as an attorney. He further failed the basic tenets of humanity, to not cause harm to a fellow human being no matter the basis, they pointed out. Lekgowe and Motswagole said it is their solemn and firm persuasion further, that Rankwane, in callously taking the life of Keakantse violated his Attorney’s Oath and his ethics as an Attorney of the High Court of the Republic of Botswana.
“He has conducted himself disgracefully and dishonorably. Thus, having breached national penal law and the ethics of the legal profession, Steve Rankwane is not a fit and a proper person to remain on the Roll of Practicing Attorneys, deceased or alive.
We have perused the Legal Practitioners’ Act, the Regulations of the Law Society of Botswana and the general law of the land, and have found no bar against the making of a posthumous complaint against an Attorney for Professional Misconduct. We are therefore convinced that the Law Society of Botswana Disciplinary Committee can and must entertain this matter,” said the duo.