Suspected trafficking victim list submitted to Ethiopian authorities
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday September 12, 2023 06:00
The 40 Ethiopian men and boys were found in a cargo truck at Ngwasha gate in what is suspected to be a human trafficking case. The Ethiopian boys and men aged between 10 and 35 years were destined to be smuggled into South Africa.
Bagali told The Monitor they utilised Interpol to reach out to the Ethiopian immigration office for assistance in vetting the names on the supplied list of potential victims of human trafficking. Before proceeding, he stated that they are waiting for the information provided to be verified. Previously, Nata Police Station commander, Superintendent Mokopi Nawa told the same publication that the males are treated as potential victims of human trafficking while investigations are ongoing.
Additionally, three people have been remanded in custody facing human trafficking charges pending the ongoing police investigations. The trio, Evane Kalulu, 35, Francis Mutale, 46, from Lusaka, Zambia along with Artwell Manyere, 35, of Zimbabwe, has already appeared before Nata Magistrate Court.
In Ethiopia, the practice of human trafficking has been pervasive for many years. According to a 2023 trafficking in-person report, the Ethiopian government officials are reported to be investigating 495 potential trafficking cases of which 487 are for sex trafficking and eight for forced labour in 2021.