Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
Court Reporter
FOUR suspects appeared in court over the weekend, accused of facilitating the trafficking of Zimbabweans to Russia, where the victims were allegedly forced to take part in the ongoing special operation in Ukraine.
Obert Hlavati, Tonderai Maphosa, Tanaka Malcon Gwarada and Edson Dudzayi Nyamudeza were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare magistrate Jessi Kufa on charges of human trafficking.
Prosecutor Oscar Madhume told the court that between February and March this year, the four connived with a Russian identified only as Ivan to traffic six Zimbabweans for labour exploitation.
The suspects are accused of recruiting the victims by falsely promising them work as firefighters in Russia, lucrative salaries and favourable working conditions.
According to the prosecution, Ivan recruited victims through social media platforms such as Facebook, Telegram and WhatsApp and referred them to Gwarada, a local agent and taxi driver, to complete the recruitment process.
Gwarada allegedly received payments via EcoCash and at a bureau de change in Eastlea, Harare, totalling about US$8 167 in separate instalments.
He is said to have taken the victims to hotels, lodges or a safe house in Harare CBD while recruitment was finalised.
He allegedly handed over the money to Maphosa, who organised logistics, including food and accommodation.
Maphosa then tasked Hlavati to escort the victims to passport offices to obtain travel documents and to a local clinic for medical reports.
Once documentation was complete, Gwarada reportedly transported the victims to the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and handed over their air tickets to Nyamudeza, who the State says used his position as an airport official to assist the victims’ passage through the airport.
The victims flew to Russia, where Ivan allegedly confiscated their travel documents and compelled them to join Russia’s special operation in Ukraine as fighters.
The matter came to light after relatives of the victims in Zimbabwe were alerted and reported the matter to the police.
Presently, the victims remain in Russia while the Department of Social Welfare works to secure their repatriation.
Investigators say that on March 24 they received information that the quartet had recruited four more victims scheduled to travel to Russia.
Detectives acted on that information and intercepted those would-be victims at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, which led to the arrest of the four suspects.
The suspects are expected to return to court as investigations continue.
