A 29-year-old woman, Gift Ekause from Nigeria, appeared in the Kuilsriver Magistrate’s Court on Friday, charged with human trafficking and violating the Immigration Act. Ekause was arrested by the Hawks, South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, on Wednesday, October 2, in Kraaifontein.
The arrest followed an operation led by a multidisciplinary team involving the Hawks’ Economic Protected Resources team, City of Cape Town Law Enforcement, and the Department of Home Affairs. This operation was part of a broader investigation after a trafficked Nigerian victim was rescued earlier this year.
According to Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani, Ekause was arrested at a Kraaifontein house where four possible victims were found. The investigation revealed that Ekause had trafficked a Nigerian victim for sexual exploitation. However, after interviews conducted by social workers, it was determined that the four individuals found at the scene were not victims of trafficking but were in South Africa illegally. They were subsequently arrested and charged with Immigration Act violations.
Ekause’s case has been postponed until October 10, 2024, for a formal bail hearing, and she remains in custody. The four others involved are also expected to appear in court.
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