Chinese businessman appeals human trafficking conviction
Kabelo Masoabi A Chinese businessman convicted of human trafficking and sentenced to an effective five-year prison term has approached the High Court in Leribe seeking to overturn both his conviction and sentence. Ron Jian Liao, a Chinese national originally from Fujian Province who resides in Mokhotlong, was convicted by the Mokhotlong Magistrate’s Court on 15 December 2025 after being found guilty... The post Chinese businessman appeals human trafficking conviction appeared first on Lesotho Times.
Black News 
Kabelo Masoabi
A Chinese businessman convicted of human trafficking and sentenced to an effective five-year prison term has approached the High Court in Leribe seeking to overturn both his conviction and sentence.
Ron Jian Liao, a Chinese national originally from Fujian Province who resides in Mokhotlong, was convicted by the Mokhotlong Magistrate’s Court on 15 December 2025 after being found guilty of trafficking a young Sri Lankan woman into Lesotho and subjecting her to exploitative labour conditions.
The court sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment, with five years suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence during the suspension period. He is currently serving the remaining five-year custodial sentence while pursuing his appeal.
Court records show that Liao first appeared before the Mokhotlong Magistrate’s Court on 7 September 2023. He was granted bail of M10 000 and ordered to provide a surety of M300 000. However, he failed to meet the bail conditions and remained in custody throughout the trial.
According to investigators, the case dates back to 13 January 2023, when police received information suggesting that a young foreign woman was being held under conditions resembling modern-day slavery at a property linked to Liao in Mokhotlong.
Detective Woman Police Constable Matšeliso Makampane of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Immigration Control Office in Mokhotlong said investigations uncovered a scheme in which the victim had allegedly been lured to Lesotho through false promises of employment.
“The investigations revealed that the accused arranged for the victim to travel from Sri Lanka to Lesotho after promising her a managerial position in his business,” Makampane said.
According to evidence presented in court, Liao recruited the woman on 16 September 2022, offering her a monthly salary of M6 000 for the first three months and promising to increase it to M8 000 thereafter, subject to performance.
Investigators established that Liao paid for the victim’s airfare and facilitated her travel from Sri Lanka to Lesotho. However, upon her arrival in Mokhotlong, the employment conditions allegedly differed significantly from those that had been promised.
Instead of working as a manager, the woman was reportedly required to perform domestic and manual labour. Her duties allegedly included feeding dogs and chickens, cleaning the residence, packing merchandise and unloading goods delivered to the business.
Police further alleged that the victim was never paid for the work she performed. Instead, Liao reportedly informed her that she would first have to reimburse him for the expenses incurred in bringing her to Lesotho before she could receive any wages.
Investigators also found that the businessman confiscated the woman’s travel documents and mobile phone, effectively restricting her freedom of movement and communication.
“The victim was unable to communicate freely with other people and could not travel independently because her documents were withheld,” Makampane testified.
The prosecution argued that these actions constituted human trafficking under Lesotho’s anti-trafficking laws, as the victim had been recruited through deception and subsequently exploited for labour.
The conviction is among several human trafficking cases prosecuted in Lesotho in recent years as authorities intensify efforts to combat trafficking networks operating within and across the country’s borders.
Meanwhile, Inspector Thabo Mokhethi has urged job seekers to exercise caution when considering employment opportunities, particularly those that involve travel abroad or relocation.
“People must verify the authenticity of job offers and thoroughly investigate the nature of the work they are being promised before making any commitments,” Mokhethi said.
“Any suspicious employment arrangements should immediately be reported to the police.”
Human trafficking remains a major global challenge. International estimates suggest that approximately 25 million people worldwide are victims of trafficking for purposes such as forced labour, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude.
Lesotho criminalised human trafficking through the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2011, which provides severe penalties for offenders. Under the law, individuals convicted of trafficking adults may face prison sentences of up to 25 years, while offences involving children can attract life imprisonment.
The High Court is expected to hear and determine Liao’s appeal at a later date.
The post Chinese businessman appeals human trafficking conviction appeared first on Lesotho Times.
