A MAN (Accused 1) and a woman (Accused 2) have been convicted by the Pinetown Regional Court on charges of trafficking in persons and several related offences.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, said the pair was convicted of trafficking in persons, kidnapping, keeping a brothel, procuring a woman for prostitution, living on the earnings of prostitution, and being occupiers of premises used for the defilement of a female.

In addition, Ramkisson-Kara reported that Accused 1 was convicted on two counts of rape and one count of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (assault GBH), while Accused 2 was convicted on one count of rape.

Also read: Beware of the dangers of human trafficking, warns Hillcrest SAPS

According to the NPA spokesperson, the complainant, an adult woman, was lured to KZN by the accused, who paid for all her expenses between the period of September 2 to 6, 2022.

“After her arrival at a house in the Malvern area, she was raped by Accused 1 on two occasions and kept against her will. The complainant was further forced into prostitution by the accused with clients who visited the brothel at this house.

“On several occasions the complainant asked to leave the house, and this angered Accused 1, causing him to assault her. The complainant was deprived of her freedom and Accused 1 told her that he ‘owned’ her.”

Ramkisson-Kara explained that the complainant eventually managed to contact her sister, who alerted the police to her whereabouts.

“Acting on the information received, law enforcement officers rescued the complainant and arrested the accused.”

The matter has been postponed to September 15 for sentencing proceedings in the Pinetown Regional Court.

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