The Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday released a statement about three human trafficking cases that occurred at the Moshoeshoe I International Airport in January and February respectively.
The statement states that on January 22, two Ugandan men by the names of Bikorwo Muhang Philip aged 24 and Byamukana Derick aged 31 were returned from Moshoeshoe 1 International Airport. (MIA)
The statement states that the two were reported to have been invited by a fellow Ugandan man who lives in Lesotho but were sent back to their country a day later following their sponsor’s failure to attend an interview.
In another suspected case which occurred on January 31,  a 24-year-old woman, Nakiganda Hadian sponsor also failed to avail himself for an interview, instead, a Mosotho man called Motjapa Pakela showed up and claimed Hadian as his girlfriend. However, the entry was denied since there was no link between the two and the woman returned immediately with the next flight.
Meanwhile, yet another case of suspected human trafficking is said to have happened on February 03 whereby reports show that a 30-year-old woman named Nanuyinga Shafira also from Uganda was also denied entry to Lesotho after Mr. Munganwa; her uncle failed to attend an interview.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs; Munganwa, aged 60 had been working in Lesotho for years from Uganda but during the preliminary interview, his story did not correspond with that of Shafira hence the woman was sent back to Uganda the following day.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Motlalentoa Letsosa is holding sensitization campaigns in the country to warn Basotho about human trafficking. For instance last week he was in Quthing where he warned the communities about this ongoing issue which he said targets mostly, women of all ages but especially youths, saying victims of human trafficking are said to be promised lucrative jobs, marriages and scholarships in South Africa and other countries.
He also mentioned that the victims are made sex slaves, slaves, drug mules and lately beauty pageants.
It is suspected that foreign nationals use Lesotho as a transit point to the neighbouring country, South Africa and suspicions are the transit is for smuggling people to the Republic of South Africa and other counties for human trafficking purposes.
 
Source: LENA 11/02/2022