The Hawks’ Anti-Human Trafficking team continues to crack the whip on alleged human trafficking incidents after three suspects linked to separate cases of trafficking in persons across provinces were traced and arrested this week.
Leandre Meryl Williams Ayuk (35), appeared at the Springbok Magistrates court on Wednesday, shortly after her arrest. She allegedly recruited victims under false pretences to travel from Springbok to Cape Town. They were allegedly coerced to a life of drugs and prostitution on their arrival. The two victims managed to escape and returned home.
Ayuk allegedly recruited the victims for her husband Edward Ayuk also arrested for similar offence back in September 2017. A 16 and 29-year-old victims were rescued at Edward’s house in Brooklyn, Cape Town upon his arrest.
The two other alleged recruiters, Vincent Ndidi Onyejekwa (39) and Uche Henry Ezenwa (35), appeared at Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, soon after their arrest. Onyejekwa and Ezenwa were allegedly linked as recruiters on Bellville and Milnerton cases of trafficking in persons.
Both victims were lured and transported from Johannesburg to Cape Town with promises of lucrative job opportunities on those separate cases. Cases against the three suspects have been transferred to Cape Town and Bellville Regional courts respectively. Ayuk and Ezenwa will appear in Cape Town Regional court on the 17 and 18 of September 2018 whilst Onyejekwa will appear at Bellville Regional Court on 18 September 2018.
