Former Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana aircraft marshal Motlatsi Khoto is set to challenge his murder conviction and death sentence before the Court of Appeal on October 2, 2026. Khoto was convicted and sentenced to death by the Francistown High Court in connection with the 2015 death of nine-year-old Metlha Sibanda. The case began in January 2018, when Metlha, the daughter of Khoto's former girlfriend, Unami Sibanda, was reported missing in Marobela.
Khoto was arrested and charged in connection with Metlha's death after police recovered her body from a riverbed, where Khoto allegedly directed them to the place where she had been buried. The prosecution argued that Khoto killed Metlha after his relationship with her mother broke down. The murder trial was heard before Justice Bengbame Sechele at the Francistown High Court, where the court heard evidence about Khoto's relationship with Unami and the conflicts that had allegedly developed between them.
During the trial, the court heard that a forensic examination had revealed a mixed DNA profile from which Khoto could not be excluded as a possible contributor, but the court ruled that the result was too ambiguous to establish the charge of rape beyond the required standard. Khoto was convicted of murder but acquitted of rape. The judge found that the evidence did not conclusively prove the rape allegation.
A central issue during the trial was Khoto's mental state at the time of the killing. His then-lawyer, Kgosietsile Ngakaagae, argued that Khoto had not been in full control of his mental faculties, citing depression and hallucinations. The defence told the court that Khoto had allegedly killed Metlha while in the grip of a nightmare, believing he was fighting another person.
Justice Sechele rejected the defence's argument and found Khoto guilty of murder. In February 2023, the judge sentenced Khoto to death, placing him among Botswana's death-row prisoners. Parliamentary information released that year listed him among inmates facing execution, while noting that some prisoners were pursuing appeals against their convictions or sentences.
The upcoming appeal will place the High Court's findings under scrutiny. The Court of Appeal could uphold the conviction and death sentence, alter them, or issue another order in the case. For Metlha's family, the proceedings reopen a case that began with the disappearance and death of a nine-year-old girl.
For Khoto, the October hearing offers an opportunity to challenge the legal outcome that has kept him on death row since his conviction and sentencing. The case has garnered significant attention, with many awaiting the Court of Appeal's decision.
Key points
- Motlatsi Khoto's appeal will be heard by the Court of Appeal on October 2, 2026.
- Khoto was convicted of murdering 9-year-old Metlha Sibanda and sentenced to death in February 2023.
- The appeal will focus on the High Court's findings, including Khoto's mental state at the time of the killing.
