Ex-Police Officer Jailed for Human Trafficking

A former Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officer, Forward Mashonganyika, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment alongside Tendai Muswe for trafficking three women to Oman. The Harare Magistrates’ Court delivered the verdict on Thursday, March 7th, 2024.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), between February and August 2022, Mashonganyika and Muswe conspired with Mohammed Ali Al Shihhi to lure unsuspecting women to Oman under false pretences. The victims were contacted through a WhatsApp group created by the accused, who posed as employment agents offering jobs in Dubai.

Upon arrival in Oman, the women discovered they had been deceived. Their passports were confiscated by Mohammed Ali Al Shihhi, and they were forced into domestic servitude and sexual exploitation. The NPA reports the women were subjected to poor living conditions, receiving only leftover food and denied the freedom to leave the house.

The victims eventually managed to contact their families in Zimbabwe, who then alerted the authorities. Investigations revealed Mashonganyika and Muswe received payments ranging from US$74 to US$500 for facilitating the trafficking. Following intervention by the Zimbabwean government, the women were repatriated in August 2022.

This case highlights the dangers of human trafficking and the lengths criminals go to exploit vulnerable individuals.