GOL RESCUES 16 SIERRA LEONEANS TRAFFICKED TO LIBERIA
By: Sylvester Choloplay
The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Labour, has turned over sixteen (16) Sierra Leonean nationals who were trafficked to Liberia to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The sixteen Sierra Leoneans are expected to return to their Country and reunite with families on Thursday, August 25, 2022.
The sixteen persons, 14 males and 2 females, were reportedly deceived and brought to Liberia in the name of processing their documents to travel to Malaysia, using Liberia as a transit point.
They were trafficked and extorted by Q-net, by taking 1,200 USD from them (each).
Q-net is an organization believed to be in dubious business with international students and those who are seeking for better living, mainly Africans.
It has been reported that several international students are victims of Q-net dubious business scams.
But speaking at a well organized turning over ceremony in Monrovia, the Chairman of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce of Liberia, Labour Minister Cllr. Charles Gibson, said the perpetrators – about seven (7) have been sentenced between 20 to 25 years in prison.
Meanwhile, Cllr. Gibson disclosed that each of the victims will receive a resettlement package of 1,500 USD to help reintegrate them into society through various business means as return home.
The funding will be produced by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) but said funding will not be given in cash rather through business (s) of their choice in equivalence.
Receiving the Trafficked Sierra Leoneans, the International Organization for Migration representative, Mr. Workapoe Workanuan informed media practitioners that the victims will be in safe keeping with the IOM while staying in a five star hotel in Liberia until they’re taken back to their home country (Sierra Leone) on Thursday.
Also speaking at the turning over ceremony in Monrovia, the Deputy Sierra Leonean Ambassador to Liberia, Amb. Jonathan Saffia, thanked the Government of Liberia for rescuing and well taken care of the Trafficked victims.
“The Liberian Government through the Ministry of Labour has done exceptionally well by taking good and brotherly care of these victims and on behalf of the people and Government of Sierra Leone, we say thanks to the Liberian Government for such a commitment”, Amb Saffia.
Ambassador Saffia further recounted the cooperative working relationship between the two countries.
At the same time, the victims acknowledged and appreciated the Liberian Government for the efforts in making sure that they are safe and taken back to their country.
