Botswana Woman Lesedi Molapisi Sentenced to Death in Bangladesh for Smuggling Drugs
Harsh Penalty: Lesedi Molapisi Handed Death Sentence for Drug Smuggling
News about Lesedi Molapisi death sentence was announced by blogger Setlhomo Raymond Tshwanelang on Facebook. He revealed that she sentenced to death in Bangladesh on Monday the 27th of May by Judge Md. Aminul Islam.
“Lesedi Molapisi has been sentenced to death in Bangladesh by Judge Md. Aminul Islam, on Monday the 27th. Lesedi is a Motswana lady who attempted to smuggle 3kg Heroin into Bangladesh in 2022.”
Meanwhile, her co- conspirator, Mahibul Islam Masood, a Bangladesh national was acquitted.
Bangladesh’s Zero-Tolerance Policy: Lesedi Molapisi Death Sentence
Bangladesh employs a strict zero-tolerance policy towards drug smuggling. Individuals found guilty of illegally cultivating, producing, transporting, exporting, or importing heroin, cocaine, and cocaine derivative drugs in quantities exceeding 25 grams or millilitres are sentenced to death.
Setlhomo, a source close to the case, revealed that Lesedi Molapisi can appeal her death sentence. However, he asserted that her chances of a successful appeal are slim, and she is likely to remain on death row for the foreseeable future.
Lesedi Molapisi Arrested at Bangladeshi Airport with Heroin
Lesedi Molapisi, a Botswana national, was arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Bangladesh on January 23, 2022 . She had just disembarked from a Qatar Airways flight which she has boarded in South Africa.
Unaware of the situation, Lesedi’s arrival coincided with an alert that the Bangladeshi airport was being used as a hub for narcotics smuggling.
Police intercepted her as she passed through the “Green Channel” – a designated lane for passengers with no luggage to declare. A subsequent search of Lesedi’s belongings uncovered 3 kilograms of heroin hidden inside her luggage.
