The Mmabatho Regional Court has on Thursday, 14 December 2023, sentenced Benedicto Makawa (39) to R18 000 fine after he was found guilty of contravening Section 49 of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002.
In October 2022, members of the Mahikeng based Serious Organised Crime Investigation received information about a suspicious truck spotted at Kopfontein port of entry. The police proceeded to the scene where a search was conducted. During the search, eighteen (18) undocumented Ethiopian males aged between 18 and 20 years were allegedly found hidden in a false compartment under the trailer of the truck.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the truck driver (the accused) was allegedly hired to transport the young men from Lusaka in Zambia to Johannesburg. Investigation further revealed that the Ethiopian nationals were allegedly going to meet their relatives who had promised them work in Johannesburg.
The truck driver was subsequently arrested and charged with contravention of Immigration Act. He made a series of court appearances until he entered into a plea agreement with the State, and he was found guilty on eighteen counts of contravening Section 49 (2) of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002. The accused was sentenced to a fine of R1000 for each count.
