Police open manhunt for human trafficking suspect

Harare (New Ziana)- The Zimbabwe Republic Police has launched a manhunt for Jacquiline Takure (nee Chikukwa) who is being sought in connection with a case of human trafficking.

According to the police, sometime in 2022, Takure (45) posed as an employment agent and misrepresented to five victims that there were lucrative hotel and catering jobs in Dubai.

She allegedly facilitated the travel of the victims to Oman, where on arrival, they had their passports confiscated by her accomplices.

“The victims were sold off as slaves to different people who subjected them to domestic servitude, labour and sexual exploitation. One of the victims managed to escape and alerted her relatives who reported the matter to the police. The victims were repatriated to Zimbabwe by the Government of Zimbabwe,” said ZRP national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Nyathi in a statement on Friday.

Ass Comm Nyathi added: “Anyone with information to call National Complaints Desk number (0242) 703631 or WhatsApp on 0712 800 197 or report at any nearest police station”.

Zimbabwe came on the spotlight as a source country for human traffickers when cases of women who were lured to the Middle East on promises of lucrative employment only to be sold into slavery were unearthed.

Several Zimbabwean women were allegedly lured to Kuwait on the pretext of employment as house maids and nurses in the oil rich Gulf country, only to find themselves sold as sex slaves by traffickers.

The plight of the women came to light in 2016, prompting the government to order a comprehensive investigation, as well as to rescue them.

Last year, it also emerged that scores of women were trafficked to Oman to work as domestic workers under deplorable conditions including being paid between US$60 to US$80 per month.

New Ziana