12 Jun 2018

Debate on the Anti-Human Trafficking Amendment Bill closed on Monday with Parliament adopting the bill, which sought to amend the Anti-Human Trafficking Act by aligning it to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism polices.

Wrapping up the debate before the bill was passed, MP for Shoshong Mr Dikgang Makgalemele said the bill was necessary as it addressed a matter that often, if not always, threw the lives of victims and their loved ones into disarray.

Mr Makgalemele, who is the Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development said because human trafficking often affected vulnerable groups such as women, children and job seekers, it was important that all issues relating to such groups be dealt with diligently.

The Shoshong legislator also highlighted the importance of looking at the issue at a local context since human trafficking did not only occur across borders.

He said locally, there were cases of children being used in farms as labourers contrary to the regulations contained in the Children’s Act.  

In the preceding week, Defence, Justice and Security minister Mr Shaw Kgathi had, when presenting the bill, said the instrument would also ensure that Botswana adhered to her international obligations.

Some of the amendments, as proposed by the minister, had included criminalising smuggling a person into or out of Botswana, as well as introducing a fine not exceeding P200 000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 years or both.

Mr Kgathi, who is also the MP for Bobonong, had also proposed that if the smuggled person was subjected to torture or inhumane and degrading treatment, or if their life was endangered, the fine would be increased to P500 000.

Further, he had proposed that if the smuggling resulted in death, the offender would be liable to a fine not exceeding P1 million or life imprisonment or both. Ends