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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
THE Department of Immigration has said 19 Ethiopians who were on Tuesday involved in an accident may face arrest if they are found to have contravened the Human Trafficking Act. If found guilty, they face between 10 years and life imprisonment.

The Ethiopians were involved in an accident along the Harare-Bulawayo road on Tuesday as they were allegedly being trafficked to South Africa.

The Toyota Hiace “Kombi” that they were travelling in burst its front tyre, veered off the road, overturned and landed on its right side killing two Ethiopians on the spot at the 60 km peg.

The driver, a Zimbabwean, died on admission to the United Bulawayo Hospitals.

The survivors were rushed to the UBH and Mpilo Central Hospitals.

Responding to written questions from The Chronicle yesterday, the country’s principal immigration officer Patricia Mafodya said her department was still investigating the issue.

“Investigations are still underway to establish whether the Ethiopian nationals were being trafficked to South Africa. If investigations reveal that they were being trafficked they will be charged under the Human Trafficking Act,” Mafodya said.

“Currently the Immigration status of the survivors is being established and the outcome will determine how they will be dealt with under the Immigration Act.”

Officials at Mpilo Central Hospital and UBH said the Ethiopian Embassy in Zimbabwe had started talks with the institutions to assist its citizens.

They said three of the Ethiopians were battling for life in the Intensive Care Unit.

UBH’s chief executive officer Nonhlanhla Ndlovu said two Ethiopians are admitted to the hospital’s ICU.

An official at Mpilo Central Hospital who preferred anonymity said one patient is battling for life in the hospital’s ICU.

Ndlovu said the Ethiopian Embassy yesterday sent translators to aid the immigrants’ communication with hospital officials.

“We received a translator who was referred by their Embassy,” said Ndlovu.

Communication challenges are said to emanate from language barriers as Ethiopians do not use English as the official language as Zimbabweans do.

Ndlovu said the hospital was working flat out to ensure that the Ethiopian patients receive the best treatment.

“We’ve admitted 10, two of them are in the ICU and the rest are at Grey Ward which houses accident victims. The Ward houses people with soft tissue damages and moderate head injuries among others. We’re doing the best we can so that they can have a speedy recovery,” she said.

Ndlovu said some of the patients have been discharged but are still being kept at the hospital as they have nowhere to go.

She said UBH has roped in the immigration department to assist the foreigners move from hospital.

An official at Mpilo Central Hospital said they have communicated with the Ethiopian Embassy and were promised that an official would be sent to the hospital today.

National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said it was premature to comment on the presence of the foreigners as investigations are yet to be concluded.

Comment could not be obtained from the Ethiopian Embassy where officials were said to be gathering information.