10 Apr 2017

The Directorate of Public Prosecution is in the process of prosecuting 15 cases of human trafficking involving Batswana and foreign nationals.

Speaking at the Botswana judicial colloquium on anti-human trafficking, the Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Shaw Kgathi said  Botswana Police Service (BPS) and Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) have arrested and prosecuted a number of perpetrators involved in human trafficking or transiting of victims to neighbouring countries.

“Although the inclination in such cases is towards the victim, our known legal systems remain important in that every suspect should be subjected to the normal processes of investigation and prosecution within the provisions of Botswana laws in particular the anti-human trafficking act of 2014, the penal code and the criminal procedure act,” he said.

Mr Kgathi emphasised that Botswana has intensified its efforts and interventions against human trafficking through public education, capacity building and training workshops for different role players.

Botswana, he said, has a long term strategy in the form of an anti-human trafficking national action plan 2017-2020.  

“The country’s ratings since 2011 have been between Tier 2 watch list (being the worst) and Tier 2 (being average), but it is our hope that these ratings will be improved in 2017 such that we could be among the Tier 1 group of countries,” Minister Kgathi said.

Women and children continue to be targeted as commodities of trade, particularly for sexual exploitation and trade and other spin offs of the industry.

Permanent secretary in the ministry, Ms Segakweng Tsiane noted that what was emerging in response to these crimes at the global level was that justice was pivotal especially in the interest and the human rights of the victims.

Thirty-three judicial officers will be trained in this leg while about 45 judicial officers are going to be trained in the next session.

“The results of this colloquium will be obvious in the balance between the application of the law and the restoration of human dignity to those affected,” she said. ENDS