A TOTAL of 102 people in Ikungi District, Singida Region who are suspected to engage in human trafficking business as well as violence against women and children have been arrested and dragged to court.

The suspects are the ones alleged to commit the offences between 2021 and 2024.

Neema Mnyokanyoka, Ikungi Primary Court magistrate said due to public awareness and cooperation in the society, a number of culprits who implement violence to women and children have continued to be arrested, something which will help reduce the inhuman acts. 

She made the remarks over the weekend here when speaking at a capacity building to 67 community health workers from 18 wards of Singida Municipality.

Mnyokanyoka explained that among the suspects who were brought to court, 95 were linked to allegations of violence against women and children while 14 suspects were accused of human trafficking.

In addition, the magistrate stated that in 2021, a total of 25 people were brought to the court on suspicion of committing violence acts, while in 2022 there were 28 people, in 2023 there were 28 suspects and in 2024, a total of 14 people were brought to the dock on suspicion of illegal trade trafficking people.

Presenting report on the implementation of projects of the Medical Missionary of Mary Community Centre through Faraja Community Based Healthcare Centre in Singida municipality, Severine Laurent, said that in the period of one month, the centre has successfully brought to court between 10 and 15 cases of people accused of human trafficking, where among the cases, 8 to 10 cases won.

Laurent, who is a servant at the Faraja Centre said that more efforts are needed to help eradicate violence as well as human trafficking business.

According to the servant, the centre has for years been educating the public on the impacts of human trafficking and violence with the majority of victims being youth, women and children.

Laurent stated that reports show that every year, thousands of men, women, and children fall into the hands of traffickers in their own countries and abroad.

The centre has also carried out HIV-related interventions to mitigate the effects of the epidemic.

Rehema Hamisi, community health worker, urged the government to invest in educational programmes to help combat human trafficking and safeguard the rights and welfare of vulnerable people in the country.