Mother and daughter implicated in P100k scam involving land, death and deception
A mother and daughter are accused of cooking-up an elaborate money-making scam involving the sale of a prime plot that wasn’t theirs, faking two deaths and dreaming up a medical bill that didn’t exist.
56-year-old Esther Keitsetse, her daughter Kefilwe Dipuo Leboro, 31, and a family friend, Lindiwe Kojane, 21, are all behind bars, remanded in custody by Molepolole Magistrates Court on a charge of obtaining by false pretences.
Police are hunting a fourth member of the unlikely ‘gang’, suspected to have swindled an unsuspecting woman and her brother out of around P100, 000 in a con that ran for close to three months.
It is alleged the trap was set on 20 October 2025, when the suspects went to a shop in Thamaga, claiming they had a piece of land in Gaborone which they wanted the store’s owner to help them sell.
However, the young assistant on duty explained the bosses were not around, at which point they asked for her assistance in advertising the plot.
Happy to help, she phoned her aunt, aged 56, to find out if she was interested.
Although the aunt told the suspects she wasn’t in a position to make a big purchase, they allegedly persisted, offering her the plot for a ‘bargain’ P100, 000.
It seems Keitsetse’s story was that she needed quick cash to pay for her brother’s burial, whose body she claimed had been lying at the morgue for over two weeks.
“The suspects later lured the victim to a certain plot in Block 7 but claimed the plot certificate was at Mahalapye. When the victim told them she wanted to make an affidavit and engage a lawyer, Keitsetse tricked her, telling her she was in hurry to leave for her brother’s funeral, urging the other woman to trust her as she is an elder who cannot cheat. The victim was convinced and started transferring some money into her account,” revealed a source close to the case.
It is reported Keitsetse, who is from Kanye, requested money on several separate occasions, which she said was needed for food at the funeral, a casket and transporting the deceased’s properties.
Each time, the trusting Molepolole native complied, transferring funds to the accused.
Taking the deceit to a devious new low, it is said Keitsetse then claimed Leboro had been bitten by a snake.
The make-believe bite proved ‘fatal’, with the ‘devastated’ mum reportedly demanding more money to lay her daughter to rest.
Once again, blissfully unaware she was being duped, the big-hearted mark agreed.
The lies allegedly continued, with Keitsetse apparently claiming she had been admitted to Bokamo Private Hospital herself and desperately needed cash to cover the hospital bills.
The victim is then said to have deposited a further P12, 000.
It is believed the scammed woman even went to visit Keitsetse at the hospital; however, when she arrived, staff informed her they had no such patient at their hospital.
Keitsetse apparently explained this away by simply telling the victim she had recovered.
Not satisfied and seemingly hungry to milk the complainant for even more, Keitsetse allegedly sent the ‘mark’ pictures of a combi and Mazda Demio, which she said belonged to her late brother and were for sale.
“The suspects convinced the woman to buy the Demio at P10, 000, saying they were giving it to her cheap as a way of showing their appreciation for everything she had done. She duly transferred the money to the suspect’s account and persuaded her brother to buy the combi, priced at P40, 000. The brother paid a P25, 000 deposit. Unfortunately they never received the cars and the suspects kept promising they meet in Gaborone to collect them until the matter was reported before the police,” continued the source.
After an extensive search, the cops managed to arrest the trio last week.
Arraigned before court, they were remanded until 5 March.
Meanwhile, Molepolole Police Assistant Superintendent, Edwin Moje confirmed his officers are on the look-out for a fourth suspect still at large.
He revealed the accused have a similar case reported before Tlokweng Police Station.
