Women in court for human trafficking

GEORGE NEWS - Four women will appear in the George Magistrate's Court this week on charges relating to human trafficking.

Nyaradzo Ellen Gwenzi (39) was arrested at a well-known brothel in George on Saturday 25 May after officials received information about an alleged assault on a victim who was held by the accused against her will.

Gwenzi appeared in the George Magistrate's Court on charges of human trafficking. Her next court appearance will be today, Thursday 27 June, for a decision to be made on her bail application.

Two days earlier, the Department of Home Affairs arrested Success Egabor (41) in Cape Town, for being in the country illegally.

According to a spokesperson for the Hawks, Lt Col Siyabulela Vukubi, she was later handed over to the Hawks as she was also wanted in relation to trafficking in persons.

"The Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation team in George had been intensively tracing a third suspect reported to be residing in Cape Town. On 23 May, information from a member of the Department of Home Affairs in Strand led to the arrest of a foreign national who is in the country illegally.

"Upon receiving the details from the Department of Home Affairs, the Hawks confirmed that the arrested individual was the suspect they were seeking," said Vukubi.

Egabor was scheduled to appear in court yesterday, Wednesday 26 June.

The Hawks have previously arrested Nontobeko Mathunjwa (35) and Precious Abudu (34) in George and Cape Town. They were denied bail in the George Magistrate's Court on this matter.

Egabor and her co-accused, Mathunjwa and Abudu, will all appear in court on 30 July for finalisation of the investigation.

Nyaradzo Ellen Gwenzi