adminWalter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
THREE Harare-based men allegedly took four Mozambican male juveniles from Chipinge under the guise of employing them in the capital, in a suspected case of human trafficking.
Police in Masvingo swooped on Howard Munyai (31), Edwin Wayne Panganai (30) and Tatenda Mudanga (19) all of Harare at a roadblock in Bikita. They allegedly caught them with three boys aged 17 and one aged 15 years in their Honda Fit vehicle.
Appearing before Masvingo magistrate Mr Peter Madhibha yesterday Munyai, Panganai and Mudanga pleaded not guilty to three counts of human trafficking.
The trio was denied bail and remanded in custody to June, 15 for trial.
For the State, Mr Fidelicy Nyamukondiwa told the court that on May 30 at around 11AM, police officers from Bikita were manning a road block at the 211 km peg along Mutare–Masvingo Road when they stopped the accused’s vehicle.
“Upon searching the vehicle the police discovered that the four juveniles were Mozambicans but they all had neither identity particulars nor travelling documents. The boys said they had been taken from Chipinge in Manicaland after being promised employment in Harare by the accused persons,” said Mr Nyamukondiwa.
The court heard that when Munyai and his partners were asked what they intended to do with the juveniles, they all could not give a satisfactory answer, leading to their arrest on allegations of human trafficking.
“Police took them to Bikita police station where they were put in custody while the male juveniles were taken by the Department of Social Welfare officers.
“The suspects’ car was also impounded. The accused persons had no right to do what they did,” he said.
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