Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
A 36-year-old man from Chipinge has been arrested for trafficking a 15-year-old girl from his village to South Africa to meet her supposed husband in Thohoyandou, Limpopo province.
Solomona Khoza is accused of smuggling the teenager into the neighbouring country earlier this month through an illegal crossing point near the Tshikwalakwala area along the Limpopo River.
He has been formally charged with contravening a section of the Trafficking in Persons Act (knowingly facilitating the cross-border transportation of victims) and another section of the Immigration Act (assisting any person to enter, remain in, or depart from Zimbabwe without valid documents).
Khoza, who also trafficked two boys aged nine and 12 years, was not asked to plead to the charges when he appeared before Beitbridge regional magistrate Ms Charity Maphosa on Thursday. He was remanded in custody until December 9 for trial.
State prosecutor Mr Willbrought Muleya said that sometime in October, Khoza was tasked by the girl’s boyfriend to transport her from Zimbabwe to South Africa, where the man intended to marry her.
He said that on November 3, at around 2 AM, Khoza illegally smuggled the juvenile into South Africa through a crossing point at the Limpopo River.
After crossing illegally, Khoza and the teenager ran into trouble when they were intercepted by police while travelling to Thohoyandou for failing to produce valid travel documents.
Following their arrest, they were taken to Mutale police station, detained, and subsequently deported to Zimbabwe by road on November 20.
Khoza was arrested upon arrival in Zimbabwe at the Government-run Reception and Support Centre during a security vetting.
The trafficking victim was taken to the Department of Social Development for further assistance.
Further investigations revealed that Khoza had also smuggled two other children, aged nine and 12 years, from Zimbabwe to South Africa.
The two boys have since been taken to a place of safety by the police.
