The relationship between government and the Law society of Botswana (LSB) deteriorated to an all-time low by Friday following a fall-out sparked by utterances made by the chairman of the latter-Lawrence Lecha-at the opening of the 2016 legal year on Tuesday. On Thursday Court of Appeal president Ian Kirby entered the fray on the side of government while numerous stakeholders supported LSB, among them BOFEPUSU and BONELA. Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Justice and Security Augustine Makgonatsotlhe had said Lecha's speech at the opening of Legal Year was discriminatory, xenophobic and had racial undertones. "We demand an unreserved written public apology from the Chairperson of the Law Society, for the embarrassment he has caused members of the judiciary and the nation.Until this apology is made, the Ministry will not interact with the Law Society in any official capacity," wrote Makgonatsotlhe. LSB showed government the middle finger, refused to apologise and stood firm in support of their chairman. Lecha had rubbed government the wrong way with his vitriolic attack on the rampant disregard for the rule of law by government and ill treatment of foreign nationals. A routine invitation for President Ian Khama to grace the opening of…