COP JAILED 20 YEARS FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING

A POLICE officer and his niece were yesterday sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for human trafficking after they trafficked three women to Oman where they were subjected to sexual abuse and slavery.

Forward Mashonganyika, who was under suspension, and his niece Tendai Muswe were convicted after a full trial by Harare regional magistrate, Estere Chivasa.

The duo was facing three counts of human trafficking and were sentenced to ten years on each count.

Count one and two will run concurrently which means 20 years are effective.

Muswe is currently serving three years imprisonment for the same offence.

Magistrate Chivasa, in her findings, said the State, represented by Ngoni Kaseke, led sufficient evidence and proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.

She said the three women proved to be credible witnesses who corroborated their evidence despite one of them being emotionally drained as she was sexually abused, impregnated and later on had an abortion.

“Besides facilitating the trafficking from Zimbabwe to Oman, the other issue is that there must be evidence of deceitfulness.

“A number of things aren’t in dispute, according to their defence, the three women stayed at Mashonganyika’s place of residence once and it’s not in dispute that they travelled to Oman.

“They were excited to fly for the first time and when they flew they believed they were flying to Dubai to work in hotels and restaurants, it’s not in dispute that they went to Oman not Dubai.

“It’s not in dispute that they were allocated to work as slaves and none of the two is denying that they were enslaved, assaulted, denied food and salaries, denied rest, sexually assaulted and were deported back to Zimbabwe.

“The only thing in dispute is whether they facilitated their trafficking to Oman and they denied any involvement and the State led evidence from a number of witnesses and I listened carefully how they were linking the duo to the trafficking.”

She added:

“What I noted was that they didn’t know each other prior and they didn’t know the duo prior and I tried but didn’t find reasons why they would lie against the duo.

“They presented themselves as credible witnesses even though they were emotionally drained but they were consistent and remained steadfast on what happened.”