Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. A human trafficking mastermind has been sentenced to five years in prison for her despicable actions.
Janet Maromo paid a woman R25,000 in exchange for her two-day-old baby, intending to smuggle the infant to Australia.
Maromo was convicted of contravening the Trafficking in Persons Act after trafficking the newborn from South Africa to Zimbabwe.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the biological mother, Pauline Maganga, had sold the infant to the offender, who then transported the child across the border.
While the presiding magistrate, Donald Ndirowei, acknowledged that there were some special circumstances in this case, such as the offender’s misunderstanding of the adoption laws in both countries and their lack of sophistication, the gravity of the crime could not be overlooked.
The biological mother’s role in influencing the offender’s actions was also considered but did not absolve the trafficker of their responsibility.
Maganga, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in May 2024 for her involvement in the case, testified that she first connected with Marimo through a Facebook adoption group in March 2023.
As the group’s administrator, Marimo facilitated discussions about adoption among its six members, which included individuals from South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the United States.
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