Botswana national Lesedi Molapisi has returned home after being released from prison in Bangladesh, bringing an end to years of uncertainty following her arrest and death sentence.
Molapisi was arrested in January 2022 at an airport in Bangladesh after authorities reportedly discovered more than 3kg of heroin in her luggage. She was subsequently charged with drug trafficking and later convicted.
In May 2024, a Bangladeshi court sentenced Molapisi to death after finding her guilty of drug smuggling. The sentence sparked concern in Botswana, with authorities beginning efforts to intervene and prevent her execution.
The Botswana government spent several years engaging with Bangladeshi authorities over Molapisi’s case. President Duma Boko personally appealed for the death sentence to be commuted, while government officials and diplomats continued discussions with their counterparts in Bangladesh.
Human rights organisations also became involved in the matter and provided assistance relating to Molapisi’s legal case. The combined efforts focused on securing a different outcome for the woman and ultimately bringing her back to Botswana.
After years in detention, Molapisi was eventually released from prison. She returned to Botswana on 1 September 2026, marking a major development in a case that had attracted significant attention in her home country.
Her return means that Molapisi will not face execution and is now back in Botswana as a free woman.
The case highlights the difficult circumstances that can arise when citizens are arrested and convicted abroad, particularly in countries where the death penalty remains a possible punishment for serious offences.
For Molapisi and her family, her release and return home bring an end to a lengthy period of uncertainty. Her case had remained a major concern for the Botswana government, which continued diplomatic efforts after she was handed the death sentence.
President Boko’s involvement, together with the work of government officials, diplomats and human rights advocates, formed part of the wider effort to secure her release.
Molapisi’s arrival back in Botswana on 1 September represents a significant turning point after more than four years of legal proceedings and imprisonment.
While the circumstances surrounding her original conviction remain serious, her release means she can now reunite with her loved ones and begin rebuilding her life outside prison.
The development is also being viewed as a notable diplomatic outcome for Botswana, following years of engagement with Bangladesh over the fate of one of its citizens.
For now, Molapisi is back on home soil, having avoided the death sentence that was handed down to her in 2024.
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