Namibians from all walks of life gathered at Oshikango border in the Helao Nafidi town to commemorate World Day Against Trafficking In Persons (TIPs) on Friday.

The day is commemorated annually on 30 July to create awareness and end the fight against trafficking.

Speaking at the event, Prosecutor General Martha Imalwa said since 2015, a total of eight traffickers have been convicted and serving their prison terms.

Imalwa also said that since the first case of trafficking was prosecuted, coordinated efforts have seen the number of TIPs that are detected and properly investigated improve tremendously.

She added that there are currently 26 cases with 56 accused persons pending before courts, including the case of the 44 suspected victims of different nationalities who were rescued from being trafficked in Namibia.

“The victims were found in two vessels at a hub in the Erongo Region,” she said

According to Imalwa, it was not easy to provide protection and assistance to such a large number of suspected victims, however, through coordinated efforts of different government institutions as well as non-governmental institutions, a shelter was secured for them.

“The suspected victims were provided with medical and psychosocial assistance,” she said.

Meanwhile Inspector-General of the Namibian Police Force Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo in a speech read on his behalf said the police currently have 101 cases reported for TIPs, compared to 86 cases reported in 2022 during the same period.

“This is worrisome,” he said and called on all stakeholders to remain vigilant and ready to act at all times.

He also highlighted that the lack of proper shelter or services specifically for victims of trafficking, lack of sufficient resources to carry out educational programmes and delays in obtaining evidence from other countries remains a challenge.

The day was commemorated under the theme 'Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind'.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency