Online Reporter
B-Metro Reporter
A BUHERA woman has been caged for 10 years after she trafficked a 14-year-old girl to Mutare and sold her to a truck driver for only US$40.
This shocking case is a wake-up call for communities to be vigilant and protect vulnerable children from human traffickers.
Pelagia Zindiye (30) lured the teenager on 29 June this year, pretending they were going to Mutare to collect property.
The next day, the girl secretly left home and travelled with Zindiye.
On arrival, Zindiye handed her over to truck driver Steward Gororo, who then took the minor to a restaurant, locked her in a private room and raped her.
After the assault, Zindiye told the frightened girl to keep silent, but a tip-off led to her arrest. Gororo is still on the run.
Mutare Regional Court found Zindiye guilty of human trafficking and sentenced her to 10 years in prison.
Authorities have urged communities to speak up and report suspicious movements of children to stop such crimes before they happen.
“This case shows how traffickers prey on vulnerable victims. Let us unite to protect the girl child and ensure offenders face justice,” said the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ)
Police are appealing to anyone with information on Gororo’s whereabouts to come forward.
