Mozambican national gets suspended sentence for human trafficking

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Komatipoort Magistrates Court has handed down a six years imprisonment to a 32 years old Mozambican national, Moises Armando Mate for attempting to illegally smugle minors into Sputh Africa.

Mate appeared before Komatipoort Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 27 December 2024, following his arrest at Komatipoort shortly after he smuggled 14 Mozambican minors, all females aged between 04 and 16 years into South Africa on Friday, 06 December 2024.

Information by the Border Management Authority (BMA) says that they stopped a minibus that was fully loaded with 14 girls on the N4 near a filling station and they were handed over to Komatipoort SAPS, and the case of aiding and abetting was registered.

The victims were handed over to the Department of Social Development for assessment before they were sent back to their country of origin.

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option to pay R6 000 fine, which was wholly suspended for a period of three years on condition that during the three years, he does not commit a similar offence, he must not be found unlawfully assisting any person(s) to enter, remain or depart South Africa.