A protracted legal battle is in the offing after Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) MPs on Friday morning unanimously passed the amendment of the Court of Appeal Bill, 2017 tabled by Minister of Defence, Justice and Security Shaw Kgathi on urgency. Parliament suspended all other business to focus on the tabling and debate of the CoA amendment bill, which Kgathi said should be passed to comply with a recent court order made by Justice Abednigo Tafa of Lobatse High court. Attempts to block the Bill by MP for Francistown South Wynter Mmolotsi were brushed aside by the BDP majority. He argued that Parliament still has ample time for the minister to bring the bill before it. The Bill proposes that Section 4 of the CoA Act prescribe the number of Justices of Appeal to be 12 and that the tenure of office of a Judge of the CoA be increased from 70 years to 80 years. The proposed changes were fiercely opposed by opposition MPs who felt that the amendment was meant to favour some judges on the CoA bench. In fact MP for Selibe Phikwe West Dithapelo Keorapetse said the amendment to increase retirement age is designed to protect Judge…