Husband and wife face life for Thailand human trafficking job scam
The courtroom where husband and wife, Yolanda and Adam Douglas, made their first appearance in the Bellville Magistrates Court on Monday.
Image: Theolin Tembo/Independent Newspapers
Husband and wife, Yolanda and Adam Douglas, made their first appearance in the Bellville Magistrates Court on Monday, facing four counts of human trafficking after being arrested by the Hawks' Western Cape Economic Protected Resources team.
The accused were arrested on Saturday after luring four victims on a fake work opportunity to Thailand, where they were held against their will.
The two alleged perpetrators will remain in police custody until Thursday, 26 February, after the matter was postponed due to their bail profile still being outstanding. They will return to court for a formal bail application.
National Spokesperson Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the Western Cape, Eric Ntabazalila, said that the charges correlate to cases dating back to 2024 and 2025, where the State alleges that they recruited young people from the Scottsdene, Kraaifontein area with promises of jobs in Thailand.
“The victims would be recruited and promised free accommodation, free meals, work permits and visas where they would be paid between $450 and $500 plus a commission. And when they get there in Thailand, they would be transported to Cambodia, where they worked in a call centre, and then they would be asked to scam (people), making calls to South Africa.”
Hawks’ Lieutenant-Colonel Siyabilele Vukubi said they were first tipped off about the case in May 2025. He further added on what would happen when the victims were diverted to Cambodia.
“When they arrive there, they are working in a call centre, but the duties that they were doing there are not the duties that they were recruited for. Apparently, while in Cambodia, they are calling unsuspecting victims to say that you have a case that is open against you, and that there's a particular amount of money that you should pay to avoid the arrest,” Vukubi said.
“They also had their documents confiscated, as well as their freedom of movement, which was hindered, and they were made to work long hours.”
Ntabazalila said that when they return to court on Thursday, the NPA will be opposing bail as the matter is a Schedule 5 offence, which places the onus on them "to prove to the court that it is in the interest of justice for them to be released on bail".
He added that the accused faces a possible life imprisonment sentence when everything is finalised.
Vukubi warned people to verify the authenticity of the job that they're applying for because this is a very common scam.
“Ask the people and authorities to see if this job that I'm applying for is a legitimate job or not before you fall for that trap.
“If you suspect that the job that you're applying for is not genuine, you should report that matter. You should report that matter because now we are dealing with this matter, where now they are falling victim to trafficking in persons.”
When asked if more charges would be added, Ntabazalila said that the investigation is still continuing.
“We're likely to (add more), and we're calling for more people, if there are more people who were scammed in this fashion to come forward, so that they can assist our case,” he said.