Attorney accused of buying child,13, denies charges against him

The 35-year-old lawyer accused of buying a 13-yearold girl from her mother and repeatedly having sex with her has pleaded not guilty to all the 26 charges against him.

The accused, Carel Benjamin Schoeman, appeared along with his co-accused, the 38-year-old biological mother of the victim, in the High Court sitting in Palm Ridge on October 29 and 30.

The mother is accused of forcing her daughters (aged 11 and 13 at the time) to have sex with unknown men in exchange for money. The offences took place in Ekurhuleni (Boksburg, Heidelberg, Brakpan, Springs) as well as Villiers, Amanzimtoti and Ramsgate between mid-2022 and early 2023.

Accused number one, the mother, is facing 72 charges. During the proceeding on October 30, the court only dealt with 52 of her charges before the matter was postponed to November 4 to deal with the remaining 21 charges. She pleaded not guilty to all the 52 charges. The charges against the pair include rape, sexual abuse of a minor, child trafficking and the pointing of a firearm.

State prosecutor advocate Riana Williams represented the state and judge Rian Strydom presided over the matter. Background The mother was arrested early last year and the Schoeman was arrested shortly afterwards. According to the indictment, the mother allegedly advertised her two minor children on adult websites.

The court document further stated that in December 2022, Schoeman approached the mother to buy the 13-year-old girl from her and an amount of R160 000 was agreed upon.

According to the indictment, the girl was forcefully placed in a vehicle to go with the lawyer to a guesthouse in Heidelberg and also a flat occupied by the mother in Heidelberg, where Schoeman allegedly had sexual intercourse with her daily.

It is also alleged that when the victim refused to participate in any sexual act with Schoeman, he would threaten her with a firearm. “During the day, the victim would be kept in a locked room without any food, water or a cellphone.

“On occasion, the victim was forced to clean the office of Schoeman,” the indictment reads.

The State alleges that at all relevant times during the commission of all the offences regarding the two victims, the accused acted in the furtherance of a common purpose. Schoeman is out on a R20 000 bail, which was granted at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on April 24, last year. However, the mother remains in custody.

Report child abuse The Boksburg Kidz Clinic urges residents to report any form of child abuse, including sexual exploitation. The clinic’s social worker Nonhlanhla Biyase pointed out that everyone has the responsibility to report any form of child abuse or exploitation.

“If you have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is being abused, report it to the relevant authorities, including the police and child welfare organisations. Child abuse can also be reported to Childline on 116 or Kidz Clinic on 011 892 0404.

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