Duo in court for trafficking 16-year old to have her married in SA

A 44-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man appeared before the Rusape Magistrates’ Court on allegations of trafficking, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is reporting.

According to the State, allegations are that sometime in June 2023, the first accused, who is the complainant’s aunt (her father’s sister), invited the complainant, who was 16 years old at the time, to her home where she informed her that she had found a job for her in South Africa.

She also took pictures of the complainant using her phone. The first accused forbade the complainant from going home to inform her parents of the developments. Instead, she offered to notify the complainant’s parents.

The following day, the complainant travelled to Harare, where she met the second accused, who facilitated her travel to Durban, South Africa.

Upon arrival in South Africa, a man from that country received her.

The complainant called the first accused, informing her that she had arrived safely in South Africa.

The first accused allegedly informed the complainant that the South African man was now her husband.

The South African man allegedly raped the complainant that night before she escaped from his home the following morning.

The complainant was stranded in South Africa for a year until she met a good Samaritan in June 2024 who helped her return to Zimbabwe. The complainant narrated her ordeal to her parents when she returned.

They made a Police report, leading to the arrest of the accused persons.

The accused persons were remanded out of custody and will appear in court on the 8th of August, 2024.

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