Two men and one woman, known as the ‘Milnerton Trio’, were convicted for human trafficking in the Western Cape High Court on Friday after more than a decade-long trial.
Also read: Western Cape’s largest human trafficking trial nearing conclusion
The Milnerton Trio were accused of trafficking women to the Western Cape and forcing them into prostitution.
Acting Judge Alma de Wet handed down sentences to Leandra Williams Ayuk from Springbok, her husband who she is divorcing Yannick Ayuk and Edward Ayuk in the trial that started in November 2011.
Edward and Yannick Ayuk are cousins from Cameroon.
In a judgment of 132 pages, that reportedly took two Fridays to read out loud, De Wet stated that human trafficking is commonly referred to as ‘modern-day slavery’.
‘Human trafficking is a dehumanising crime that reduces people to commodities,’ she said, adding that the State proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. Advocate Maria Marshall and investigating officers Shane Pamplin and Captain Ayanda Mpayipeli, a drug cop and an undercover drug agent, led the investigation.
De Wet listened to the testimonies of police officers and witnesses from as far as Springbok, East London, Gqeberha and Cape Town, News24 reports.
She visited a brothel at 26 Piet Grobler Road in Brooklyn, Cape Town, to witness the conditions that trafficked women allegedly lived in. She also visited Koeberg Road to see where the woman would have walked and waited for clients.
Investigations revealed that the trio recruited, transported and trafficked the women and one girl. They were found to be undereducated, came from difficult social and economic conditions and were desperate for work, or already working in the industry.
They were also addicted to heroin, mandrax and Tik, and were lured to Cape Town under false pretences of better working conditions and more money.
Instead, News24 reports, they were locked up, beaten, and taught to use crack to become dependent on it. The trio reportedly withheld drugs from them if they refused to work. Their identity documents were also withheld from them, and they were controlled in terms of their movement and contact with friends or family.
De Wet noted that the women also did not see any of their earnings.
The trio were arrested in 2017 when the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) acted on information about a possible human trafficking incident in the Milnerton area.
‘A 26-year-old victim was allegedly lured to Cape Town, from Johannesburg, by a lady known to her with promises of employment,’ Hawks spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha told Algoa FM at the time.
‘On arrival, two males allegedly picked her up and she was subsequently kept against her will and allegedly turned into a sex worker.’
Ramovha said that the woman managed to escape and the matter was reported to the Hawks. However, her ID book and cellphone were reportedly confiscated by the suspects.
The Hawks’ Anti-Human Trafficking team arrested Williams Ayuk in 2018.
After listening to the testimonies of the victims, De Wet concluded that Williams Ayuk coerced slave workers, who were addicted to drugs, from Springbok and ‘supplied’ them to Edward and Yannick.
The State found that Edward led the operation while Yannick acted as the enforcer who collected the money and sold the drugs when Edward was not present.
De Wet convicted the cousins of the following:
Edward Ayuk, was found guilty of:
- Six counts of human trafficking
- Five counts of using the services of a victim of human trafficking
- Five counts of living off the proceeds of prostitution
- Guilty of five of six charges of kidnapping
- Five charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm
- Not guilty of the remaining count of rape because the victim told three different versions
- Guilty of the possession, confiscation or destruction of documents
- Guilty on one count of dealing drugs
Yannick Ayuk, was found guilty of:
- Three charges of human trafficking
- Guilty of living on the proceeds of prostitution
The matter has been postponed to 19 July for sentencing proceedings. The trio remain in custody.
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Picture: Leo Moko / Unsplash