A Chinese national accused of human trafficking has been acquitted by the Harare Magistrate’s Court after spending 18 months in remand prison.
Chen Dehu, 39, was cleared of all charges on April 2, 2025, following a high-profile trial that had gripped public attention since his arrest in October 2023.
Chen was arrested alongside two Zimbabwean co-accused—Joseph Rabson, 44, and Shame Mafido, 57—over allegations they conspired to traffic three young women, including two minors, to China under the guise of offering them jobs and education. Prosecutors alleged the real intention was to force the victims into marriage.
The trio was apprehended on October 18, 2023, at a lodge in Harare, where the victims were being housed while travel documentation was allegedly being prepared.
Authorities claimed that birth certificates and identity documents had been tampered with to make the minors appear older, to meet China’s legal marriage age requirement of 20.
According to court documents, Chen had arrived in Zimbabwe on October 3, 2023, purportedly for the express purpose of orchestrating the trafficking plot, allegedly working closely with Rabson and Mafido—both relatives of the victims.
The prosecution’s case rested heavily on the claim that the victims were deceived into believing they were being offered legitimate opportunities abroad, when in fact they were to be married off in China against their will.
However, after a protracted legal process, the court ruled that the evidence presented was insufficient to secure a conviction, leading to Chen’s acquittal. It remains unclear whether charges against Rabson and Mafido will proceed independently.
Legal experts have raised concerns over the length of Chen’s pre-trial detention, describing it as emblematic of broader issues within Zimbabwe’s justice system.
“This is yet another reminder that our judicial system is in dire need of reform,” said one legal practitioner who spoke anonymously.
“Eighteen months in custody without a conviction is a serious miscarriage of justice.”
Human rights organizations have also intervened, urging the government to address systemic delays in the handling of criminal cases and ensure that the rights of accused persons are protected regardless of nationality.
As of now, Chen is expected to be released from custody, bringing to an end a long and controversial chapter in the ongoing fight against human trafficking in Zimbabwe.
