A high-profile trial commenced in Zwolle, Netherlands, on Monday, involving Tewelde Goitom, an Eritrean man accused of orchestrating a vast migrant smuggling network. Prosecutors allege that Goitom, also known as Amanuel Walid, facilitated the perilous journey of East African migrants to Europe under harrowing conditions, extorting exorbitant sums from their families to secure their release from Libyan detention camps. Goitom, who appeared in court wearing jeans and a blue puffer jacket, maintains his innocence, claiming a case of mistaken identity. He was extradited to the Netherlands in 2022 from Ethiopia, where he had been convicted of similar offenses. The trial, described as one of the largest human smuggling cases in Dutch history, is expected to span three weeks. The proceedings were delayed due to the extradition of another key suspect, Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam, a notorious human trafficker who escaped custody in Ethiopia in 2020. Habtemariam, currently detained in the United Arab Emirates, is set to be extradited to the Netherlands. Prosecutors aim to merge the two cases, while Goitom’s defense hopes Habtemariam’s testimony will exonerate their client. Dutch authorities assert jurisdiction, citing alleged crimes committed within the Netherlands, though defense lawyers argue the lack of a clear connection. The case highlights the plight of Eritrean migrants fleeing a repressive regime, with the Netherlands hosting approximately 28,000 people of Eritrean descent. The trial underscores the broader challenges of global migration and the exploitation faced by vulnerable populations.