Second suspect nabbed in human trafficking case

Update

GEORGE NEWS - Another woman who was arrested in connection with the human trafficking of two young Nigerian women who were rescued from an apartment in George last year, will appear for her formal bail application on Thursday 18 April.

According to a spokesperson for the Hawks, Lt Col Siyabulela Vukubi, the 33-year-old suspect was arrested in Strand, Cape Town on Thursday 14 March.

She was found to be in possession of two passports, various bank cards and R29 000 in cash.

She appeared in the George Magistrate's Court the following day where the case was postponed to Tuesday 19 March to schedule a date for her formal bail application. She will appear along with her co-accused

The first suspect, a 34-year-old woman from George, who was arrested last year on charges of human trafficking and sexual offences, was denied bail on Friday 9 February.

If found guilty, the accused could face life imprisonment and/or a fine of R100m.

The charges follow after the Hawks found two Nigerian women, both aged 21, as well as two self-confessed sex workers from Zimbabwe and South Africa, in the 34-year-old's apartment in the George CBD, which she was allegedly running as a brothel.

Lured to SA

Both the Nigerian women were allegedly lured to South Africa with promises of a career in the beauty industry.

According to a statement issued by the Hawks, the victims were given fake passports and documentation in Nigeria in order for them to travel to South Africa.

The two young victims had allegedly been trafficked from Nigeria inside a shipping container a few months before. They are now kept in a place of safety. The girls were allegedly advertised on an escort website.

According to the investigating officer's testimony during the bail application, the young women told her their passports were confiscated the moment they set foot in South Africa after promises of employment in the beauty industry were made to them.

After they arrived in the country they were allegedly forced to become sex workers to repay the costs that had been incurred to get them to South Africa.

Due to alleged threats made on their lives and that of their families, they had no hope of going home, or even dared to report it to the police.

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