Mother accused of exploiting her children denies charges against her

The 38-year-old mother facing human trafficking-related charges pleaded not guilty to the remaining charges against her.

She appeared in the High Court sitting in Palm Ridge on November 4 with her co-accused, Carel Benjamin Schoeman, the 35-year-old lawyer accused of buying her 13-year-old daughter.

While Schoeman already denied all 27 charges against him in a court session on October 30, the court only dealt with 52 of the mother’s charges on that day before postponing the matter to November 4.
During the court session on November 4, the mother pleaded not guilty to the remaining 21 charges.
The mother, accused number one, 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 happened in Ekurhuleni (Boksburg, Heidelberg, Brakpan, Springs) and Villiers (Free State), Amanzimtoti and Ramsgate (KwaZulu-Natal) between mid-2022 and early 2023.
The charges against the pair include rape, sexual abuse of a minor, child trafficking and pointing of a firearm.
The matter resume this morning (November 5).

State prosecutor Advocate Riana Williams represents the State, and Judge Rian Strydom presides over the matter.

Also Read: Attorney accused of buying child,13, denies charges against him

Background
The mother was arrested early last year, and Schoeman, accused number two, 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 they agreed on an amount of R160 000.
According to the indictment, the girl was forcefully put 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, granted at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on April 24 last year. However, the mother remains in custody.