IN a bid to curb human trafficking, Home Affairs Ministry has in a space of two weeks intercepted four Uganda nationals trying to enter the country at Moshoeshoe I International Airport.
All four were ordered out of the country and returned to their country after failure to convince Immigration officers that they were in Lesotho legally after their sponsors had failed to avail themselves for interviews.
Four cases have since been reported in a space of two weeks and Home Affairs minister Mr Motlalentoa Letsosa has expressed concern that Lesotho may just be a passage being used for the smuggling of persons into the neighboring South Africa.
He has therefore started holding extensive awareness programs on the subject nation-wide.
According to the Home Affairs office, on the 22 January, 2022 two Ugandan men, Bikorwo Muhang Phillip (24) and Byamukana Derick (31) were intercepted at Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MIA). The duo was reported to have been invited by a Ugandan man residing here in Lesotho, a sponsor who had since failed to avail himself thus causing them to be returned to Uganda the next day.
Another case was then reported a week later on 31 January where a 24 year old Ugandan woman Nakiganda Hadian was also returned home after her sponsor who is a Mosotho man only named as Motjapa failed to avail himself for the interview, and instead one Mr Sefabatho Pakela had come forth claiming that the latter was his girlfriend.
“Unfortunately, the entry was denied since here was no link between the two and the lady took the next flight to Uganda,” said Home Affairs in its statement.
On 3 February another 30 year old Ugandan woman Namuyiga Sharifa was also denied entry as her sponsor whom she said was her uncle only known as Mr Munganwa (60) could not be found to help verify any information on Sharifa’s visit.
