Kellelo Justina Mafoso-Guni (December8, 1945June 5, 2024) Lesotho News Agency, Justice Guni Laid to rest, article dated June 21, 2024 was a Mosotho lawyer, the first female lawyer in Lesotho, as well as a former justice of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights and the High Court of Lesotho (where she was the first woman on the Court). African Women In Law website, African Women and International Courts
Early life and education Mafoso-Guni was born in Hlotse on December 8, 1945. She studied law at the University of Lesotho and the University of Edinburgh. She became the first female lawyer in Lesotho.
Career Mafoso-Guni was appointed Crown Counsel in Lesotho in 1970. She then moved to the United Kingdom and worked in the civil serve for twelve years. She returned to Africa and was appointed magistrate in Zimbabwe on 28 September 1980, the first woman appointed to the bench. She served there for twelve years. Other sources have erroneously stated that Mavis Gibson was the first female judge in Zimbabwe's history. While Gibson did serve as a judge in Zimbabwe, she was actually the High Court of Namibia's first female judge.
Mafoso-Guni returned to Lesotho and was appointed to the High Court of Lesotho, again as the first female judge. In 2006, she was elected as one of the first judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights for a four-year term, one of two women alongside Sophia Akuffo.
She died on June 5, 2024.
Publications
Judicial writings Ntsapo Petlane (Born Makunya) v Mathe Petlane & Another (Duly assisted). CIV/APN/476/9825. August 1999 R. Potoketsi v. Rex. CRI/A/22/98 . 15 February 1999 African Oxygen Ltd v. Stm Marketing & Agencies Ltd & Another. CIV/APN/191/99, CIV/APN/270/99. 7 April 2000 Ned Bank (Lesotho) Ltd v. Sotho Development Corporation (Pty) Ltd. CIV/T/450/99. 23 May 2000 Rex v. Lisebo Mokhoro. CRI/T/39/96. 24 November 2000. Theresia Leoma v. Makhang Leoma. CIV/APN/465/99, CIV/APN/520/99. 8 August 2000
See also List of first women lawyers and judges in Africa
References