Four people have been arraigned before the Maun Magistrate’s Court accused of trafficking two minors aged 2 and 3 respectively to neighboring Zimbabwe.
The accused Keotshephile Phitisi, Sithole Simbarashe, Simba Kolala and Besyy Mashinga appeared in court on Tuesday facing a single count of trafficking in persons committed between January 13 and March 13, 2026.
It is alleged that the four acted together and with a common purpose to traffic the two minor children from Maun to Zimbabwe without valid travelling documents.
The court heard that the accused allegedly facilitated the movement of the children across the border and handed over their guardianship to a Zimbabwean national identified as Rosa Gutora.
Opposing bail, the investigating officer Detective Betty Kesego of the Child Protection Services, told court that investigations are still at an early stage. She revealed that authorities have since engaged Interpol Zimbabwe to help establish the whereabouts of the children and confirm their safety.
Detective Kesego further raised concerns that the second and fourth accused persons do not possess travelling documents, making them potential flight risks. She added that while the third accused does have a passport, he is considered a key suspect, as he is alleged to have physically transported the children across the border.
“The third accused is central to this case as he is the one who took the children out of the country,” she said.
However, the investigating officer made a different plea regarding the first accused, who is believed to be the biological mother of the children. She urged the court not to remand her in prison but instead place her in a place of safety and order a psychiatric evaluation, citing concerns about her mental state.
“When I visited the accused at her residence, she could not construct sentences in a manner expected of a mentally fit individual. The home was in a poor and unhygienic condition, and she appeared to neglect both herself and the children,” said Detective Kesego.
A social worker from the North West District Council, John Mafungo, supported these observations, telling the court that the first accused displayed signs of mental instability, including inappropriate laughter during serious conversations.
He further described the living conditions as unsanitary, alleging that the accused often went for days without bathing and lived in a foul-smelling environment. He also raised concerns about the welfare of her other two children, who are of primary school age, stating that they had been removed from their home and placed in a shelter following her arrest.
The third accused pleaded for bail, arguing that he has valid travelling documents and a fixed place of residence known to the police. He also claimed that the children were safe and being well cared for.
In her ruling, Magistrate Gofaone Mosweu ordered that the first accused undergo psychiatric evaluation and be placed in a shelter for her safety. The second, third and fourth accused were remanded in custody until March 31, 2026, for a status update on the case.
