No joy for 3 men arrested for trafficking 36 women and children across the border into South Africa

Regional Magistrate Vimbai Mutukwa has denied bail to three Chipinge men charged with trafficking 36 women and children across the border into South Africa. She denied them bail last Thursday after concluding that they are of no fixed abode and are flight risks due to the gravity of their case.

Richman Sande (29), Striton Maphosa (32), and Lovemore Sithole (32), all of Nyazi Village under Chief Garawa in Chipinge, will be back in court next Friday. They are charged with contravening Section 3(1) b (vii) (viii) of the Trafficking Persons Act Chapter 09:25.

Prosecutor Ronald Kwangwari told the court that the trio was intercepted by police officers manning a roadblock along Ngundu-Tanganda Road on March 29, 2024, around 7 am. They had 36 women and children on board. The police details quizzed them on their destiny and were allegedly told that they were headed to Beitbridge, where they would facilitate illegal border crossings for the women, leading to their arrest.

They are being represented by Emmanuel Chibudu of Manyika Law Chambers Firm.”