PORT ELIZABETH – A 62-year-old man and woman appeared before the New Law court on Thursday for human trafficking. The two were arrested at Stanger in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday by Port Elizabeth members of the Serious Organised Crime unit of the Hawks.
They are the second and third suspect to be arrested for this case. The first suspect, a 61-year-old man, was arrested for human trafficking during March 2017.
The 61-year-old man is accused of forcefully marrying a 14-year-old girl through the ukuThwala tradition.
The parents of the teenage girl passed away during November 2015, leaving her in the care of her uncle, the 62-year-old man (second suspect) who appeared in court on Thursday. The teenage girl and her uncle are from Stanger while the 62-year-old woman (third suspect) and the 61-year-old man (first suspect) are all originally from Bizana.
The uncle then allegedly agreed to forcefully marry the girl to the 61-year-old man through the ukuThwala tradition. It is alleged that R30 000 was paid for lobola.
The 14-year-old was then subsequently brought to Port Elizabeth where the 61-year-old resides. It is alleged that the two lived together from September 2016 to April 2017. It is further alleged that the man sexually abused her during this period and forced her to act as a wife to him.
The 61-year-old is out on R5000 bail. The 62-year-old man and woman will appear before the same court on Friday (today) for Formal bail application.
Enquiries: Captain Anelisa Feni @ 071 481 3251
