Johannesburg – The Johannesburg Magistrate Court sentenced a Nigerian national, Peter Akadoronge to a hefty five life sentences after being found guilty on charges of human trafficking and multiple rapes.
Akadoronge’s convictions are pinned on three counts of human trafficking and two counts of rape.
He was also charged with a count of assault in an incident that happened in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, where the court said he had the intention to inflict grievous bodily harm.
According to the information presented to the prosecutor, three women went in search for employment when they were approached by three Nigerian men with an offer of employment.
One of the ladies suggested that they go to a nearby nightclub to discuss the offer of employment.
The men bought drinks for them and upon consuming these drinks, they became unconscious and after regaining consciousness, they then realised that they were at an unknown place.
They testified that they found themselves in a room with two unknown ladies.
The room had no windows, except for one mattress that was on the floor.
The two ladies informed them that they were in Rosettenville, Johannesburg.
The three men removed the ladies they found in the room and thereafter told them that they found the jobs they were looking for, which entailed them selling their bodies.
The complainants told their captors that they were not going to sell their bodies. At this point, their captors started assaulting them and told them to take off their clothes.
They further testified that they were raped as an induction to teach them their newly found job.
After raping them, they were forced to take drugs on a daily basis whilst held captive.
Different men were brought in to have sexual intercourse with them, following payment to their captors.
If they refused to have sex with these men, they would be assaulted and deprived of food.
It is reported that as time went by, their captors trusted the victims and would leave them outside the yard unguarded.
“On 9 May 2018 they managed to escape and stopped a vehicle that took them to Moffatview police station,” a Hawks statement read.
“The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit took them to a help centre for counseling, examination by doctors and for treatment for drug addiction,” the statement further read.
“The next day, Detective Armstrong Ndlala took them to Rosettenville in search of the suspects and they managed to point out Akadoronge, who was found standing next to a street light with eight other males.
“All men were arrested but later released, except for Akadoronge. He remained in custody until the finalisation of his case,” read the statement.
State Advocate Colleen Ryan argued that Akadoronge came as a visitor in South Africa and chose to disregard the laws of this country.
She further argued that he left his victims with both emotional and physical scars.
Magistrate Simon Radasi remarked that the government promulgated various legislation in an attempt to turn the tide of gender-based violence, but these crimes continued unabated.
“Women have a legitimate claim to walk freely in our streets without fear of being abducted.
“The courts must remove people that are of danger to society out of circulation for very long periods to send a clear message that our justice system frowns upon such inhumane acts,” he said.
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