Kellelo Justina Mafoso-Guni


Kellelo Justina Mafoso-Guni is 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.

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.

Career

Mafoso-Guni was appointed Crown Counsel in Lesotho in 170. 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.

Publications