The woman arrested in Cape Town for human trafficking appeared in the Kuilsriver Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Gift Ekause, 29, from Nigeria has formally been charged with trafficking in persons and contravention of the Immigration Act.
This follows Ekause’s arrest by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks) on Wednesday, October 2, in Kraaifontein.
The provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani said a multidisciplinary team involving the Hawks’ Economic Protected Resources team in the Western Cape together with the City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement and Department of Home Affairs and Immigration in Bellville conducted the operation.
This comes after a trafficked victim from Nigeria was rescued earlier this year.
“The suspect was arrested at a house in Kraaifontein, where four possible victims were rescued. Her arrest emanates from a follow-up investigation that started earlier this year, where it was discovered that the suspect trafficked a victim from Nigeria for sexual exploitation.
“Preliminary investigation and interviews by social workers discovered that the four possible victims are not trafficking in person victims, but are illegally in South Africa,” Hani said.
The four people who were rescued were then immediately arrested and charged with contravening the Immigration Act.
Ekause made a brief appearance in court.
The case has been postponed until October 10, 2024, for a formal bail application.
She remains in custody.
The four other accused are still expected to appear in the court.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL