A ZIMBABWEAN man has appeared at the Francistown Magistrates Court for allegedly smuggling four children from Zimbabwe to South Africa via Botswana.
Arnold Nyoni (23) was arrested on Friday last week in Botswana before he was arraigned before the courts on Monday this week.
According to reports from Botswana this week, Nyoni’s luck ran out after having successfully made it through the border when he was nabbed while fuelling his car at a petrol station in Matsiloje.
Indications are that while Nyoni had relevant travel documents, the police discovered that the children, three boys and a girl, did not have the necessary documents.
Matsiloje assistant station commander Molebatsi Chingabe confirmed Nyoni’s arrest and revealed that the children’s ages ranged from nine to 15.
“Upon questioning, it emerged they were smuggled in. The suspect was using a Toyota Hilux model vehicle with a South African number plate,” Chingabe said.
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Appearing in court, Nyoni was charged with smuggling of children and was further remanded in custody to give the State enough time to establish the children’s parents.
Indications are that the children are not related and are currently being taken care of at a police shelter in Ghetto.
Concerns by Botswana authorities were that there is usually a surge in the smuggling of children from Zimbabwe to South Africa through Botswana, particularly when schools in Zimbabwe close.
It is a trend that during this period, many children are transported without documents to be with their parents who work in South Africa.
Zimbabwean schools closed on August 8.