A 26-year-old man, Mark Danny David, appeared before magistrate Learnmore Mapiye, facing charges of trafficking in persons, accused of deceiving six Zimbabweans into forced labour in Russia.
David is accused of contravening Section 3(1)(b) and (i) of the Trafficking in Persons Act. The State alleges that David, working with accomplices Igor Lenkov and Allan, promised the victims lucrative jobs as firefighters in Russia but instead subjected them to labour exploitation, forcing some to join the Russia-Ukraine war.
The victims, identified only as UU, VV, WW, XX, YY, and ZZ, were lured with air tickets and visas, then transported from Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport to Russia.
Upon arrival, their documents were confiscated, and they were forced to work without pay, food, or freedom.
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The ordeal came to light after the victims reported their situation to relatives in Zimbabwe, prompting police involvement.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police arrested David, while efforts are underway to repatriate the victims.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on March 24, 2026.
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