*Desperate mum pleads for children left behind in Kenya
*Boyfriend tricked her into a Christmas holiday trap in 2016
Tears flowing freely and speaking between sobs, a mother from Borolong village near Francistown has broken her silence, recounting the heartbreak of being tricked by her estranged boyfriend to abandon her three young children in Kenya eight years ago.
Boitshwarelo Modo, 37, says she had trusted the Bernard Bosire, 57, when he proposed a Christmas holiday to visit his family in Kenya on December 16, 2016.
The children, two girls Linda (11), Nyasha ((7) and their little brother Theo (4) were taken to Kisii town in southwestern Kenya for the supposed holiday visit only to be abandoned there by Bosire, who is also Linda’s father.
Modo, who had dated Bosire when he was working as a teacher at St Josephs College back in 2005, said she had trusted him completely.
The couple had stayed together when Modo was 18 and separated after the birth of Linda but later reconciled after she had two more children.
The mother of six explained that when they left Botswana she was told they were going for Christmas only for the plans to change when they arrived in Kenya.
“Before we went there, Ben’s parents once visited us to see the kids and this time he wanted the kids to also visit Kenya. I am certain he had plans to leave them there all along,” she said, further revealing how she had objected when Bosire decided the children should attend school in Kenya without her consent.
“I objected to the idea because he had not discussed it with me. Together with his parents, Ben managed to convince me it was a good idea to leave the kids in Kenya,” she said, her eyes welling up at the memory.
Modo said she was so stressed that she even got sick and was hospitalized for some days in Kenya. She said she did not have access to call home and her boyfriend kept promising to facilitate the communication, but never did.
“Everything happened so fast and the children got spaces at a local school and now it makes sense that everything had long been planned for. When we were leaving for Kenya Bosire asked me to take all our documents and I did not ask why,” she added.
The couple returned to Botswana in April 2017, only to discover that Bosire had sold the house in Block 9, Gaborone where they had been staying without informing her.
“He said he needed the money for our trip to Kenya. I was heartbroken and we separated in May 2017, and I have not heard from him or the kids since,” Modo added.
She says she has tried in vain to trace him and the kids through social media “Just last month after my sister posted on Facebook looking for Bosire I noticed there were some accounts belonging to Linda and Nyasha. I sent them messages but they did not respond,” she said.
“I’m having sleepless nights because I don’t know how my kids are doing and I’m helpless. I plead to be assisted to go and see them and bring them back home. The fathers to the other two who are not Bosire’s want them and they think I sold them to the Kenyans,” she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Her sister, Unami Phinda, 39, said Modo has long avoided any questions about the children and that the recent heartbreak has forced her to act.
“I did not understand whether she did not want the kids or not as every time I asked about the kids we ended up arguing. We once argued and she stayed for two years not talking to me just because I asked about the kids. And now she is back and she told me she’s having sleepless nights because of the kids. I hope we can be assisted and find the kids,” said the sister.
Assistant Superintendent Mosetsana Ntlhabano of the Children’s Friendly Center at Botswana Police, confirmed receiving the enquiry from Modo last week and that they are working with the social services to get to the bottom of the matter.
“For now we call it an inquiry because we are still looking at the issue to see what really transpired and our investigations have just commenced. We do not have much to say for now,” she said.
