20 Aug 2023

Three foreign nationals facing charges of human trafficking will appear before Nata Magistrate Court today.

The trio; Evance Kalulu (35) and Francis Mutale (46) both from Zambia and Artwell Manyeruke (35) of Zimbabwe, were arrested on August 15 after their truck was stopped and searched by the police at Ngwasha veterinary gate at which point the police discovered 40 Ethiopians aged 10 to 35 crammed in a cargo truck.

Nata Police Station commander, Superintendent Mokopi Nawa told BOPA that the cargo truck that transported the 40 individuals was en route to South Africa.

The three suspects, together with the passengers are detained at Nata Police Station pending further investigations.

Superintendent Nawa said the case had raised suspicion that there might be a surge in human trafficking cases in Botswana through the same modus operandi, adding that the police had resolved to intensify their search operations to stop the rot.

He explained that police investigations in the matter continued even though the language barrier had been a pain in the neck for investigators. Ends