Police bursts child trafficking racket in Mbeya

Mbeya.  The police is holding two people suspected to be running a racket that has been abducting children between the ages of 10-14 and then selling them to pastoralists.
It is believed the pastoralists use the children for manual labor in animal husbandry activities in Mbarali district, Mbeya Region.
Mbeya Regional Police Commander, Mr Ulrich Matei Urlich told Mwananchi yesterday that the suspects were arrested on September 5, 2021, at 8pm in Mabango village, Mbarali District while transporting their captives.
He said the suspects were arrested after a tip-off by citizens who were suspicious of their motives.
After interrogating them the suspects confessed to engaging in human trafficking, saying they were selling each child at Sh20, 000 each to different buyers.
Mr Matei named the suspects as Daniel Julius (21) and Kamungu Julius (30) both residents of Mbarali district and that they are alleged to have taken 11 vulnerable children and others who live with their parents.
Mr Matei said that after grilling the suspects, they admitted that they were selling each child at a cost of between Sh25, 000 to Sh30, 000.
“We discovered that apart from the suspects abducting some of the children but also parents have been negotiating with them,” he said.
“Investigations are ongoing but in the meantime, the children have been taken back to their families. Human trafficking is against the laws so the suspects will be taken to court once the investigations are completed,’ he said.
He said the government decided to provide free education that means any parent who will do anything to stop their children from going to school must be punished according to the law.