daglous masveta
Judgement day set for a human trafficking mastermind
Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
The trial of a suspected human trafficking mastermind, who reportedly paid a woman R25 000 in exchange for her two-day-old baby that she intended to smuggle to Australia, continued on Tuesday with the defence closing its case.
Janet Marimo is facing human trafficking charges. She pleaded not guilty. The presiding magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei deferred the matter to January 24 for judgement.
Investigations established that Marimo allegedly conspired with Pauline Maganga, the infant’s mother, to traffic the child to Australia.
Maganga was jailed for 10 years in May this year at the Harare Magistrates Court for her part in the deal.
Maganga told the court that she started to chat with Marimo on Facebook in connection with child adoption in March last year and was made to join the group administered by Marimo.
“In that group, there were six active members all females, including myself, and it had two female members from South Africa, two females from the United States, Janet Marimo and myself,” she said.
Maganga said when she was six months pregnant she sent a message to the group informing the other members that she not in a position to look after herself and her unborn child due to lack of resources.
“All the group members responded to my message. They were all willing to look after me during my pregnancy, to meet the hospital bills, and then take the child after birth for adoption,” she said.
“Marimo then came to my inbox advising me that I must not give the other group members my child since they would take my child for organ donations. She emphasised that I was supposed to give her my child after birth and we agreed.”
Maganga told the court that on June 27 last year, she went to Far East Hospital in Johannesburg to deliver her child and this is where she met Marimo physically for the first time.
“Since I was a foreigner I was supposed to pay R2 800 for the hospital bills to be given the child’s birth card and birth record. Marimo gave me R1 000 to pay on the day and the balance of R1 800 was supposed to be paid by the end of July.
“I was only given the child’s birth card and I was told that I would collect the child’s birth record after paying the balance,” she explained to the court.
After the child’s birth, Maganga agreed that Marimo would pay her R25 000 and then take the child for adoption, an obligation that was fulfilled.
According to prosecutor Mr Tendai Tapi, the arrangement was for Maganga to obtain the baby’s birth certificate by October 29, but she did not fulfil this requirement.
This situation led Marimo bringing the baby to Zimbabwe illegally. She was apprehended in Waterfalls on November 27.
Upon learning of Marimo’s arrest, Maganga returned to Zimbabwe on December 12. The child is now in the care of the Department of Social Welfare.
