Mozambican man arrested for child trafficking
Malawi Police in Phalombe have arrested a 44 year old Mozambican on suspicion that he was trafficking two boys from Zomba District to Mozambique.
Volunteers working with the Police in ending child trafficking intercepted the man, Joaq Peter at Nambazo Trading Centre along the Malawi-Mozambique border while he was ferrying the two boys aged 14 and 15.
The interception comes barely three days after the district conducted commemorations of the Day of the African Child whose main messages centred on ending child trafficking which is rampant in the district.
According to Phalombe Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Innocent Moses, the two boys, both from Kalumero Village in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Mwambo were being taken to Mozambique to work as labourers in unknown plantations upon arrival in that country.
“When we asked him the reason for traveling with the boys to Mozambique, the suspect said he was taking them to a plantation whose owner was going to hire them as casual labourers,” he said.
Moses attributed the increase in numbers of children being trafficked to Mozambique due to porous Malawi-Mozambique border in Phalombe.
He noted that there are many outlets without check-points along the border line between the two countries.
The past two months, Phalombe Police Station has rescued 11 children from trafficking.
However, there is fear that many other children could be going into Mozambique without being noticed.
Peter hails from Muguliwa Village in Traditional Authority (TA) Mwanswa in Mlumbu, Mozambique and is expected to appear before court to answer charges of child trafficking contrary to section 79 (i) of the Child Care, Protection and Justice Act.
