The Western Cape’s largest human trafficking trial is nearing an end, with final arguments heard at the High Court on Friday after nearly two years.
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The trial began in November 2011, with two Cameroonian cousins, Edward and Yannick Ayuk, facing over 40 charges, including rape, kidnapping, assault and other offences, as well as allegations of running a brothel in Milnerton.
According to the State’s case, they, along with Edward’s wife, Leandre Williams, lured women from Springbok and East London to Cape Town under false pretences and forced them to walk the streets to solicit business.
Several of the women were transported from their home towns to testify in the High Court during the lengthy trial.
Following extensive testimony by women, police officers and other officials, Yannick’s defence lawyer, advocate Bash Sibda, successfully argued for Yannick’s acquittal on 27 charges, claiming that the State had failed to prove its case against him.
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Judge Alma de Wet later ruled that Yannick’s 27 charges should be dropped, while Edward was acquitted of four counts of rape.
In their defence, the cousins claimed that a ‘dirty cop,’ who allegedly worked as a pimp in the area, conspired with other officers to arrest them. This was rejected by the State.
During the argument on Friday, the State and defence teams presented their final arguments prior to judgement.
Sibda claimed that the State had ‘hopelessly failed’ to prove the human trafficking charges and that none of the victims had been held captive or trafficked. He also said the State had not followed the Human Trafficking Act’s procedures by completing a certificate.
State Prosecutor Maria Marshall refuted this, claiming that the legislation defined human trafficking, not what the public perceived it to be as depicted in films.
She stated that the State was not required to provide a certificate under the Act but rather a ‘letter of reference,’ which was required when the State had to decide whether or not to prosecute a victim of human trafficking who had committed a crime.
The hearing has been rescheduled for February 14, when the judge will announce the date of her decision.
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Picture: Anthony Hill / Unsplash