A Mozambican national who smuggled 14 young girls into South Africa received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to the charges. The court imposed a six-month imprisonment or a R6 000 fine, suspended for three years. The case highlights the issue of human smuggling and the vulnerability of young girls.
Mozambican national Moises Armando Mate (32), who smuggled 14 young girls into South Africa , was given a suspended sentence by the Komatipoort Magistrate’s Court. The court sentenced him to six months imprisonment or a R6 000 fine, wholly suspended for three years. The suspension is conditional on Mate not committing a similar offence or assisting anyone to enter, remain in or leave South Africa unlawfully during the three years.
Mate was arrested near Komatipoort on December 6 after smuggling 14 underaged Mozambican girls, aged between four and 16, into the country in a minibus. The discovery was made when members of the Border Management Authority stopped the fully loaded taxi on the N4 next to a filling station. Mate and the victims were handed over to the Komatipoort SAPS and a case of aiding and abetting was registered. While it remains unclear how the young girls had crossed the border, the Department of Social Development assessed them before sending them back to their home country. The case was transferred to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) for further investigation. Mate made a few court appearances before pleading guilty and being sentenced within 21 days of his arrest.
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