Man gets eight years for human trafficking

A court in Ntcheu district has sentenced 20 year-old Abdul Yasin to 8 years imprisonment with hard labour for human trafficking.

Yasin was caught last week trafficking 26 people using unchartered routes in Ntcheu.

It is reported that on May 18 officers of Malawi police on patrol intercepted 26 people at Biriwiri border post.

Upon interrogation by police all the 26 revealed that they were traveling to South Africa though they had no traveling documents.

It was discovered that the convict was the one facilitating the trip and had a vehicle hiding at a distant place waiting to collect them after they had covered some distance.

Yasin pleaded guilty to the charge of trafficking in persons which is contrary to section 14 (1) of Trafficking in Persons Act.

In mitigation, Yasin, who hails from Piyasi village Traditional Authority (T/A) Chowe in Mangochi, asked the court for leniency saying he was a first offender

But the state through police prosecutor of Ntcheu police Station, Stain Muhuwa, asked the court for a stiffer punishment to incise the malpractice.

In his ruling, the First Grade Magistrate of Ntcheu Chrispine Sachuluka concurred with the state stressing that human trafficking is a serious offense and sentenced Abdul to eight years in prison without an option of a fine.

Sachuluka added that the sentence will act as a warning to deter would be offenders.

All 26 people, 23 males and 3 females, are from Mangochi and have been sent back to their respective home.