02 Sep 2026

Government has thanked Bangladesh for granting Botswana national, Lesedi Molapisi clemency.

Molapisi returned home yesterday after being released from prison in Bangladesh, more than four years after she was arrested and later sentenced to death for a drug-smuggling offence.

Molapisi was arrested on January 23, 2022 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, after she was found in possession of narcotics.

She was subsequently convicted of a drug-smuggling offence and sentenced to death by a Bangladeshi court on May 27, 2024.

Speaking in an interview yesterday, Minister for International Relations, Dr Phenyo Butale said her release was the result of sustained efforts by government and several other individuals and organisations, who worked to secure her freedom.

He said President Advocate Duma Boko had personally appealed for executive clemency and the commutation of Molapisi’s death sentence, while the Ministry for International Relations pursued the matter through diplomatic channels.

Dr Butale said he engaged with Bangladesh’s former Interim Prime Minister Dr Muhammad Yunus and the country’s current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Khalilur Rahman, as part of efforts to secure Molapisi’s release.

Botswana’s diplomatic missions in South Africa and India, he said were also involved in the case, providing consular assistance and engaging with Bangladeshi authorities.

According to Dr Butale, the efforts extended beyond government, with Botswana working with local and international human-rights organisations, including Ditshwanelo, to ensure Molapisi received the necessary legal representation. ENDS