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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
A MOTSWANA national has been ordered to pay a $20 fine for entering the country through an illegal point in order to visit her two-year-old son who was ill.
The child later died. Kelapile Lekodo (33) of Francistown was arrested after she went to the Plumtree Police Station to obtain a burial order for her son, Johnson Lekodo who was staying with his grandparents in Nyabane area, Bulilima District.
She was convicted on her own plea of guilty to entering by evasion and remaining in the country without a visitora��s entry permit by Plumtree magistrate Taurai Mawere.
Mawere decided to be lenient to Lekodo after he took into consideration that her sona��s body was still in the mortuary awaiting burial.
Prosecuting, Elisha Mazorodze said Lekodo entered the country illegally on April 4 and was arrested on April 19.
a�?On 4 April Lekodo illegally crossed into the country through an undesignated entry point in Ngwanyana area, Mangwe District. She further remained in the country without a visitora��s entry certificate.
a�?The matter came to light on April 19 when Lekodo went to the Plumtree Police Station to apply for a burial order.
Police officers then realised that she was an undocumented traveller which resulted in her immediate arrest,a�? said Mazorodze.
In mitigation, Lekodo said she received a call from her in-laws early this month that her son who stayed in the country had been admitted to hospital.
She said she then entered the country through an illegal crossing point in order to see him.
a�?I was married to a Zimbabwean man and we had a son together who was staying with his paternal grandparents in Zimbabwe. I got a call from my in-laws informing me that my two-year-old son was ill and had been admitted to hospital. I was desperate to see him thata��s why I committed the offence.
a�?He later died and I wanted to transport the body to Botswana to bury him there as that is what we had agreed upon with my in-laws,a�? said Lekodo.
Online Reporter