Shakwane Molapisi, the father to troubled Lesedi Molapisi- a 30 year old Motswana woman facing a possible death penalty in Bangladesh for drug trafficking, says he has approached Amnesty International to help her daughter escape execution.
Drug trafficking in Bangladesh attracts a death sentence and Lesedi’s father says his daughter is in desperate need of legal representation.
“The case is yet to go for trial and I am trying to seek help but so far I am not winning,” explained Molapisi in an interview with this publication.
Molapisi noted that it is difficult to contact Lesedi as she is in jail.
“I do check on her through some people there, but it is not easy,” noted the father before adding that, “I have tried our ministry of Foreign Affairs but they have not yet given me any positive response. I have also spoken to Amnesty International and I am awaiting their response.”
Amnesty International is a global non governmental movement which advocates against human rights abuses and has active presence in more than 150 countries.
Molapisi strongly believes that if her daughter gets legal representation, she has a chance to live.
The last time Molapise saw his daughter was on January 16th, 2022, and on the 23rd he received shocking news of her arrest.
“I always knew her to be a good child. I raised her and she never gave me any reason to suspect anything naughty and I do suspect that she was lured without her knowing it,” added Lesedi’s father who is also a senior police officer.
Molapisi further explained that after Lesedi’s arrest they found in her bag an invitation letter for her to visit Bagladesh by one Amir Hossain. “It was actually a visa application in which they said she was going to Bangladesh to buy ready made garments. That is why I suspect she was used without her knowing about it.”
Asked whether he has plans to travel to Bangladesh to give Lesedi support during trial, Molapisi said even if he wanted to, he cannot do it without the assistance of Botswana government. “It will be too risky. what if I get there and I also get arrested. These arrangements have to be done through our foreign ministry.”
In the meantime the ministry has since noted that it awaits formal communication regarding the matter. “That is what they have told me as well, that they are yet to receive formal communication.”
In every situation has something to say