The Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Motlalentoa Letsosa says trafficking in persons is a criminal offence and anyone who is involved in it is liable to 25 years imprisonment no fine.
Mr. Letsosa said this when addressing students at Motsekuoa High School during the sensitisation campaign on human trafficking and issuing of Birth Certificates and National Identity Documents (ID).
He said the Anti Trafficking in Persons Act No.1 of 2011 prohibits and punishes all forms of trafficking and requires protection and measures of victims of trafficking.
He stressed that recently Basotho women are being trafficked to Italy by Nigerians noting that they are trafficked through social media.
Mr. Letsosa said these women were promised to be given jobs and they were assured that they will be paid well.
He mentioned that the trafficked women are turned into sex slaves and do not get any compensation.
He, therefore, warned students to use social media wisely, saying young girls are mostly targeted.
Meanwhile, the Minister issued Birth Certificates and National Identity Card (ID) to students, saying the documents are important as some of them are completing their high school education and the IDs will be required when applying for higher education institutions and National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS).
Also speaking, the Motsekuoa Councillor, Mr. Mohlomi Setlaba expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Home Affairs for this great initiative, saying this will help students in the long run.
He urged students to avoid at all costs to be trafficked, noting that human trafficking is real, and therefore appealed to the government to create jobs, saying unemployment is a major cause of human trafficking.
Speaking on behalf of the school the Chairperson of Motsekuoa High School Board, thanked the minister for his visit saying it is important for students to be informed about human trafficking as they are the future leaders of the country.
He also thanked Mr. Letsosa for issuing the documents, saying that Motsekuoa is one of the remote areas in the country hence it is not easy to access services.
On the same day, the minister visited Tsoaing Primary and St Thomas High School with the same purpose.
By Staff Reporter: ‘Maphoka Likotsi