By Farai D Hove | In a shocking development that has brought to light a disturbing trend of human trafficking from Zimbabwe to Asia, a former Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officer, Forward Mashonganyika, along with his niece Tendai Muswe, have been sentenced to 20 years in prison each for their roles in trafficking women to Oman where they were forced into sex slavery. The sentencing took place yesterday in Harare, marking a significant milestone in the fight against human trafficking in the country.
The Harare regional magistrate, Mrs. Estere Chivasa, convicted Mashonganyika and Muswe on three counts of human trafficking after a thorough trial. The first two counts were merged for the purpose of sentencing, resulting in two 10-year terms for each convict. It’s worth noting that Muswe was already serving a three-year sentence for a similar offense.
The case unfolded when the State prosecutor, Mr. Ngoni Kaseke, successfully demonstrated that in February 2022, Mashonganyika, in collusion with Muswe and an Oman-based accomplice, Hassan Mohammed Ali, deceived unsuspecting Zimbabwean women with the promise of lucrative jobs in Dubai. Instead, these women were trafficked to Oman and subjected to harrowing conditions.
The traffickers utilized a WhatsApp group to advertise nonexistent jobs, effectively baiting their victims with the allure of high-paying positions in the hotel industry and favorable working conditions. The victims, lured by these promises, were processed with visas, air tickets, and medical examination reports by Mashonganyika, who facilitated their transportation from Zimbabwe to Oman, deceitfully bypassing Dubai.
The grim reality of their situation became apparent to the victims only upon their arrival at Muscat International Airport, where they were met by Hassan Mohammed Ali al Shihhi. Their passports were seized, and they were forced into domestic servitude as house maids, enduring endless hours of work without pay, surviving on leftovers, and suffering sexual and physical abuse.
The case came to light when the victims reached out through Interpol and their relatives back in Zimbabwe, prompting an investigation that led to Mashonganyika’s arrest. Searches conducted at his residence uncovered financial transactions from Hassan Ali al Shihhi, facilitating the repatriation of the victims.
This case is a tragic reminder of the ongoing issue of human trafficking, with hundreds of young Zimbabwean women having been trafficked to Asia since 2015 under the guise of employment, only to be exploited as sex slaves. The conviction of Mashonganyika and Muswe represents a critical step towards addressing this grave human rights violation, yet it also underscores the urgent need for continued vigilance and action against human trafficking on a global scale.