Court documents have lifted the lid on investigations into alleged pimps and the operations of brothels in the Mother City, amid the ongoing human trafficking trial at the Western Cape High Court.
This follows the testimony of a Hawks officer at the trial of brothers Edward and Yannick Ayuk.
The brothers, along with Edward’s wife Leandre Williams, face over 40 charges after allegedly operating a brothel in Milnerton where they forced unsuspecting victims to use drugs and then work as prostitutes.
According to the indictment, Leandre is accused of recruiting three women from Springbok by promising them work in Cape Town but instead, she forced them along with Edward and Yannick to use drugs and work as sex workers.
Recent court proceedings have seen a series of documents pointing to a possible conspiracy after Edward allegedly reported a police officer for interfering in an investigation.
According to court documents, Ayuk opened a case of theft after his car was allegedly stolen by Zain Samuels in 2017.
Samuels was later arrested by cops while driving the stolen vehicle in Malmesbury and taken to Maitland police station.
Through his lawyer, advocate Bashier Sibda, Ayuk claimed he lodged a complaint when it was revealed that Zain’s brother, sergeant Clinton Felix, had allegedly assigned the docket to himself.
Ayuk claimed he was later arrested and prosecuted on a klomp charges relating to running a brothel as a result of this complaint.
The State called warrant officer Shane Pamplin from the Hawks to the stand, where under cross examination it was revealed he knew Felix as he had investigated him two years ago.
According to the investigation file by the Hawks, Pamplin undertook to surveil several properties owned by Felix and established there was prostitution and possible drug sales taking place.
He testified that he applied for search warrants at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court but these were refused, so instead of the properties being raided like at Ayuk’s home, a meeting was scheduled with Felix.
The investigation into Felix never proceeded further.
Pamplin is expected to complete his testimony on May 22 but when the Daily Voice contacted Felix for comment, he said the facts were unfounded.
He confirmed that Zain was his boetie but that at the time of his arrest, he alerted his superiors to the conflict of interest and denies assigning the docket to himself.
He also denies owning brothels, saying he rents out the properties and was contacted by Pamplin, who told him of the alleged activities.
Felix told the Voice: “He said he could not divulge any more information due to the investigation. I was not aware of an application for search warrants.
“I know that he contacted me and I was unavailable and in Johannesburg at the time, and two of my guys went with him to the property.
“He said he would be in contact and I never heard from him again.”