A Botswana woman who was sentenced to death in Bangladesh after being convicted of drug smuggling has finally been released from prison, the Botswana government has announced.

Lesedi Molapisi was arrested in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in January 2022 after she was found in possession of narcotics.

She was subsequently convicted of a drug-smuggling offence and sentenced to death by a Bangladeshi court on 27 May 2024.

Her release brings an end to more than four years of uncertainty surrounding her fate, including a period in which reports circulated that she had already been executed.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, 1 September 2026, the Office of the President of Botswana confirmed that Molapisi had been released from the Bangladesh prison where she had been held.

“Ms. Lesedi Molapisi has been released from the Bangladesh prison where she was held following her sentencing to death on 27th May 2024,” the Botswana government said.

According to the statement, Molapisi had been arrested on 23 January 2022 in Dhaka after being found in possession of narcotics.

The case attracted significant attention in Botswana because of the severity of the sentence and the possibility that a Botswana citizen could be executed in a foreign country.

Botswana government intervened

The Botswana government says it made sustained diplomatic efforts to secure Molapisi’s release.

According to the Office of the President, President Duma Gideon Boko personally appealed for executive clemency and the commutation of Molapisi’s death sentence.

The government said that, on the President’s instructions, the Ministry of International Relations became actively involved in the case through diplomatic channels.

“The Minister of International Relations, Honourable Dr. Phenyo Butale engaged with the former Interim Prime Minister of Bangladesh, His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Yunus, and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honourable Dr. Khalilur Rahman on Ms. Molapisi’s release.”

Botswana’s diplomatic missions in South Africa and India were also involved in efforts surrounding the case, according to the statement.

The government said the missions engaged with Bangladeshi authorities and helped facilitate “consular assistance and support” for Molapisi.

It also said it worked with local and international human rights organisations, including Ditshwanelo, to ensure that Molapisi received appropriate legal representation.

From death sentence to freedom

Molapisi’s case had previously generated widespread concern across Southern Africa, particularly after unverified reports circulated in March 2025 claiming that she had already been executed.

Those reports were subsequently found to be false.

At the time, Molapisi’s father, Goitsemodimo Molapisi, confirmed that his daughter was still alive and being held in Bangladesh.

He said the family was hopeful that she would eventually be released.

Her case had also attracted attention from human-rights organisations, which raised concerns about the death penalty and called for her life to be spared.

According to Botswana’s Daily News, Molapisi had travelled from South Africa via Doha before arriving in Bangladesh, where she was arrested with more than 3kg of heroin.

Botswana thanks Bangladesh

In announcing her release, the Botswana government expressed its appreciation to Bangladesh for granting clemency to Molapisi.

“The Government hereby expresses its deep appreciation to the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for granting Ms. Molapisi clemency.”

Botswana said the development demonstrated the strength of relations between the two countries.

The government described the release as a reflection of the “strong bonds of cooperation between the two countries”, strengthened by shared values of mutual respect.