19 March 2025
Gilbert Mangole, Botswana’s High Commissioner to India including Bangladesh and other South Asian countries has just revealed that a Bangladeshi Appeals Court is yet to set a court hearing date for condemned Motswana drug mule, Lesedi Molapisi who was sentenced to death in Bangladesh last year.
Speaking on Radio Botswana today in an interview, Mangole clarified that contrary to some reports, Molapisi has not yet been executed.
“There was an appeal before the court and it was received, we are waiting for the date of the appeal hearing date.
We last checked on Molapisi in December, she was in good health but she indicated that she was afraid,” Mangole told the State broadcaster.
Mangole announced that a delay in the hearing could take up to a year or more. Mangole added that as government they keep on briefing Molapisi’s family about the situation even though the latter has not yet managed to visit Molapisi. Mangole said besides the appeal Botswana government is doing all it can to resolve the situation and avoid execution.
“We want to take the issue at a political and diplomatic level and our President Duma Boko has also committed to making sure that Bangladesh pardons Molapisi,” Mangole disclosed.
He said they want to facilitate a meeting between Boko and the Bangladesh President.
On January 23, 2022, 30-year-old Molapisi was detained and arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh. After receiving an anonymous tip, the airport customs officials intercepted Molapisi after she flew in from South Africa via Doha, Qatar.
When questioned, she reportedly denied having any illegal substances or items to declare. The airport officials proceeded to search her luggage and found over 3kg of a heroin-like substance in her luggage. Last May, Molapisi was sentenced to death by a Bangladeshi court on drug trafficking charges.
Source: https://rb.gy/bxunu4
