By Mapaballo Borotho

- Botswana national Lesedi Molapisi has been released from death row in Bangladesh after the government granted her clemency.
- Molapisi was arrested in Dhaka in January 2022 after she was found in possession of drugs and was sentenced to death for drug trafficking in May 2024.
- Her reprieve follows diplomatic efforts by the Botswana government, including an appeal by President Duma Boko for executive clemency and commutation of her sentence.
Botswana national Lesedi Molapisi has been spared the death penalty in Bangladesh after the government granted her clemency.
The development was confirmed by the Botswana government in an official statement on Tuesday, 01 September 2026.
Molapisi was arrested in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 23 January 2022 after she was allegedly found in possession of drugs.
She was subsequently convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death on 27 May 2024. Molapisi had travelled to Bangladesh on a Qatar Airways flight from South Africa via Doha.
Her reprieve follows diplomatic efforts by the Botswana government to secure her release, including an appeal by President Duma Boko for executive clemency and the commutation of her death sentence.
“The government hereby expresses its deep appreciation to the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for granting Molapisi clemency,” the Botswana government said in a statement.
It described the development as a testament to the strong relationship between the two countries.
“This development is a testament to the strong bonds of cooperation between the two countries, strengthened by the shared values of mutual respect that benefits both nations and their people,” the statement added.
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