Ziguinchor authorities dismantle transnational human trafficking network

Two women, Fatu Fofanah and Testimony Blessing, have been referred to the Ziguinchor prosecutor's office following an investigation into a transnational human trafficking network. The suspects, a Sierra Leonean national and a Nigerian national, are accused of involvement in the sexual exploitation of seven young women from the sub-region, some of whom are as young as 14 years old.

Investigators discovered the victims in an apartment in Kandialang. The women reported being recruited in Sierra Leone, often via Guinea-Bissau, under false promises of employment. Once in Senegal, they were allegedly subjected to sexual exploitation and forced to pay off a debt of 1,500,000 CFA francs. The victims stated they were required to hand over all earnings to the recruiters each night, receiving only 3,000 CFA francs per client.

The suspects face multiple charges, including criminal conspiracy, pimping, extortion, human trafficking for sexual exploitation, forgery, and complicity in rape. Evidence suggests the victims' identities and phones were confiscated, and health records were allegedly falsified to hide their ages. The investigation also uncovered coercive practices used to maintain pressure on the victims.