05 Dec 2023

 Parliament on Monday passed three bills that received unanimous support from legislators across the political floor.

The three are the Bail Bill, which seeks to stiffen up the requirements for one to be granted bail in heinous crimes such as murder, the Criminal Procedures and Evidence Bill as well as the Anti-Human Trafficking Bill.

Most legislators who contributed indicated that the bills were timely and addressed the current challenges the country was faced with.

Contributing to the Anti-Human Trafficking Bill, Palapye MP, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi indicated that it was timely as cases of human trafficking were rife in the country, hence the need to close all the loopholes to make the law stringent.

He said despite the magnitude of such cases locally, it was a pity that there were hardly ever any prosecutions. "What is more concerning is that even international political leaders, who should be in the forefront of fighting this problem are involved," he said.

Mr Ramogapi said it was disheartening that people took advantage of a fellow human being misery to their advantage, saying most trafficked people were those in the jaws of poverty as they could easily be tricked with the promise of utopia.

Mr Ramogapi also called on the country to collaborate with able organisations like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to train the local police. Molepolole North legislator, Mr Oabile Regoeng pleaded for a thorough public education on the issue of human trafficking to alert Batswana on possible indicators.  Mmadinare MP, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said the European Union had raised concern about the involvement of Botswana in human trafficking activities.

"The EU has indicated Botswana as a major transit route from countries in the north to the ports of South Africa, so this Bill is timely as it will tighten such grey areas," he said.

Serowe West lawmaker, Mr Onalepelo Kedikilwe said the P1 million as a penalty for perpetrators of human trafficking was not enough, suggesting capital punishment would have been more appropriate.

For his part, the Minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi, who was holding fort for the Minister of Justice, appreciated the legislators for supporting all the three Bills.

"This indicates intent on your part as lawmakers, that you are serious about addressing the challenges that our country is faced with," he said.

Mr Mmusi also assured that the two sister ministries would ensure thorough public education was done to educate the people on issues concerning the three Bills. Ends