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NewsDay

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Trafficking agent attempts suicide at Zim embassy in Kuwait

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A SUSPECTED human trafficking agent on Tuesday afternoon reportedly attempted to commit suicide after she was bashed by a group of women sheltered at the Zimbabwean embassy in Kuwait.

A SUSPECTED human trafficking agent on Tuesday afternoon reportedly attempted to commit suicide after she was bashed by a group of women sheltered at the Zimbabwean embassy in Kuwait.

By Garikai Tunhira

charity charamba

The agent (name withheld) was allegedly attacked by Zimbabweans and a few Ghanaians, who joined in, although it could not be ascertained why the West Africans were housed at the Zimbabwean embassy.

NewsDay is in possession of a video of the alleged beating.

The agent, who had also sought refuge at the embassy, reportedly attempted suicide in the toilets using a belt and was only rescued after another woman saw her and called for help.

A source privy to the goings-on said the woman was accused of facilitating travel arrangements for some of the over 200 women trafficked to Kuwait on the promise of rich pickings in the Gulf country.

As of yesterday, 20 women were reportedly still staying at the embassy, while they wait for the Zimbabwean government to facilitate their return home.

A Zimbabwean woman in Kuwait, whom NewsDay could not ascertain whether she was an agent or a victim, said the suspect had facilitated only one trip for the attackers.

She said the woman had sought refuge at the embassy and was arranging her return back home, as “things were now difficult” in Kuwait.

Several agencies and offices that were employing maids were being shut down in the Gulf country following reports of human trafficking, NewsDay heard.

In the first two-minute 12 second-long video of the bashing incident, a group of about seven women can be heard shouting obscenities and slapping the victim, who was clad in a long-sleeved top and black jeggings. She falls over several times.

“They were beating her up saying: ‘You are one of the agents that brought us here’,” a source said.

The video shows a few beds on one side of the room and on the other, a number of women slouched on the floor.

The woman is seen running from one corner to the other, as she is trapped in the room, while one of the attackers calls on the others to shut the door so she does not escape.

One of the women is seen kicking the trafficking suspect in the stomach, and at one point, they tug at her by her braids.

Only two people come to her defence, but their pleas to stop the attacks seem to fall on deaf ears.

In the second two-minute 9-second-long video, the suspected trafficking agent stands in a corner with over a dozen women laughing mockingly at her. Some of them walk over to her and slap her in the face.

The women accused the suspected trafficking agent of being foul-mouthed and making a lot of money out of them.

“She was selling people, each for $500,” they are heard saying.

The sources said the woman did not make a police report, as she was no longer under the jurisdiction of Kuwaiti authorities.

Zimbabwean ambassador to Kuwait, Grey Marongwe’s mobile number was not going through yesterday, while Foreign Affairs ministry permanent secretary Joey Bimha said he was out of the country.

“Please get in touch with the acting secretary for Foreign Affairs,” he said.

Although it was said police had been roped in to investigate what had happened, national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said she was yet to be briefed on the incident.