Gaborone, Botswana — Six Mexican nationals have pleaded guilty in a Botswana court to illegally entering the country, clearing a legal hurdle for their planned extradition to Mozambique where they are wanted on drug trafficking charges, according to local court filings.
The men appeared Thursday before the Extension II Magistrate Court in Gaborone.
In a brief hearing, each of the accused admitted to the single count of unlawful entry submitted by prosecutors.
The court accepted the pleas after no objections were raised by their lawyers, according to records provided to ImNews. Identified in court documents as Gumecindo Enrique (61), Jose Pena (48), Fansico Alejandro (33), Jose Corrales (39), Carlos Aguilar (32), and David Teran (26), the defendants were arrested in Gaborone late last year alongside Nigerian national Uchema Njoku (53). Njoku, who faces a separate charge of aiding illegal entry, had his plea deferred after his counsel argued the state had not shared witness statements.
State prosecutor Keletso Kgati told reporters at the courthouse that extradition “is already underway,” adding that “we are in direct contact with Mozambican authorities to finalise the handover. ” Court papers indicate the six are sought in Mozambique on two to three pending drug charges and that Interpol lists were part of the prosecution’s brief.
A spokesman for the prosecution declined to quantify the amount of cash seized when the men were detained, noting only that the funds have since been lodged with the Bank of Botswana for analysis.
Local prosecutors claim the group formed part of a larger syndicate that operated a drug laboratory in Mozambique run exclusively by foreign nationals.
The case is scheduled to return to court for a formal facts reading in the coming weeks, while extradition negotiations between the two governments continue.
