Staff Reporter
THE Office of the Judiciary has announced the appointment of five new judges to serve on the High Court, some of whom come from other southern African countries.
The Secretary of the Judicial Service Commission, Elia Shikongo, announced that the newly appointed High Court judges are Justice David Mangota, Justice James Divittie, Justice Gabriel Komboni, Justice Marlene Tommasi and Gladice Pickering, the Executive Director in the Office of the Prime Minister.
The appointments follow the Judicial Service Commission’s decision to recruit a limited number of qualified retired or former judges from comparable southern African jurisdictions on fixed-term contracts to assist in the civil stream of the High Court of Namibia. According to the Commission, the move is a temporary measure aimed at addressing immediate capacity constraints while longer-term domestic solutions are pursued.
Shikongo confirmed that Justice Mangota has been appointed as an Acting Judge of the High Court for a period of three years, effective from 1 March 2026. He revealed that Justice Mangota served as a judge of the High Court of Zimbabwe from 2012 to 2024, initially in the Harare Division and later in the Bulawayo Division of that court.
“Prior to his judicial appointment, he served for 20 years within Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Justice in various magistracy positions, including Chief Magistrate. He subsequently served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice from 2001 to 2011,” Shikongo added.
He further revealed that Justice Divittie has also been appointed for a period of three years, starting this month. Shikongo noted that Justice Divittie served as a judge of the High Court of Zimbabwe from 1996 to 2001. Following his service in Zimbabwe, Shikongo continued, Justice Divittie was appointed as a judge of the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in the United Kingdom, a position he held from 2002 to 2020. His career also includes earlier work as a prosecutor, legal practitioner and advocate.
Justice Komboni has been appointed as a High Court judge on contract for two years and five months, effective from 1 March 2026. Shikongo highlighted that Justice Komboni served as a judge of the High Court of Botswana, Gaborone Division, from October 2018 to March 2024, and again from June to August 2024. Justice Komboni also served as State Counsel in the Attorney-General’s Chambers and thereafter practised for 29 years in private legal practice.
Shikongo further disclosed that Justice Tommasi, a former judge of the High Court, has been appointed as an Acting Judge of the High Court for the period from 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2026. He said that during her acting tenure, Justice Tommasi will primarily serve in the civil stream of the Northern Local Division of the High Court.
Shikongo revealed that Gladice Pickering will also serve as an Acting Judge of the High Court until 30 June 2026, with her tenure commencing on 16 March 2026.
“Pickering currently serves as Executive Director in the Office of the Prime Minister, a position she has held since April 2025. She is an admitted legal practitioner of the High Court of Namibia and previously served as a magistrate for a period of seven years, from 1999 to 2006. This appointment marks Ms Pickering’s first tenure on the High Court bench,” Shikongo added.
