A Milnerton trio accused of trafficking women to Cape Town and forcing them into sex work have been found guilty, nearly three years after going on trial.
Two Cameroonian cousins, Edward and Yannick Ayuk, were convicted along with Edward’s wife, Leandre Williams, at the Western Cape High Court by Judge Alma de Wet on Friday.
The trio, who were arrested by the Hawks in 2017, were slapped with over 40 charges including rape, kidnapping, assault and running a brothel in Milnerton.
The trio went on trial in November 2021 in what was dubbed the biggest human trafficking case before a local court as they were accused of trafficking women from Springbok and the Eastern Cape.
In her extensive judgement, Judge De Wet highlighted the lengthy trial record which exceeded 6000 pages and the horrific testimonies of some of the women.
Several witnesses were transported from their home towns to take the stand, testifying about drug abuse, beatings and the dirty details of working on streets such as Koeberg Road.
Williams also took the stand in her own defence and denied she had trafficked women from Springbok, but admitted she had been a sex worker in the town.
A 27-year-old woman from Matjieskloof who may not be named, told the court she was brought to Cape Town in January 2017 and on arrival she was given crack cocaine which increased her sexual urges. She was sent to the streets where she would work 12-hour shifts.
She said the money she earned had to be handed over to Edward, who gave her more drugs in return, and when she lied about the number of clients she had serviced, she was shocked to discover that Edward recorded the registration plates of every vehicle who had picked her up.
After a failed escape attempt, they punished by forcing her to balance a bucket of hot water on her head while kneeling on a broomstick “to get rid of her demons”.
She eventually escaped to Springbok, but said tensions with her family increased. During a heated argument where her sister called her a prostitute and commented on her HIV status, she grabbed a knife. Her mother intervened and was stabbed instead.
After the state closed its case, defence lawyer Advocate Bash Sibda successfully argued for the acquittal of 27 charges against Yannick.
In her judgement, De Wet found Edward guilty on 22 charges which included six charges of human trafficking, five charges of using the services of a trafficked person, five charges of living off the earnings of prostitution, five charges of kidnapping and one of drugs. He was found not guilty of rape and debt bondage.
Williams, who tjanked as the judgement was read out, was found guilty on three counts of human trafficking and acquitted on charges of debt bondage, kidnapping, assault and using the services of a trafficked person.
Yannick was found guilty on 12 charges which included three charges of human trafficking, three charges of using the services of a human trafficking victim, three charges of living off of the earnings of prostitution, and three charges of kidnapping.
He was acquitted on charges of debt bondage and assault.
The matter has been postponed to 19 July for sentencing proceedings.
monique.duval@inl.co.za