THE age of a then 13-year-old girl who was allegedly pimped by her mother in Amanzimtoti and other areas has been disputed in court by attorney Carel Schoeman, who allegedly bought the child from her mother to use as a sex slave.
Also read: Mother who pimped daughters in Amanzimtoti back in court
Schoeman, 37, made another appearance in the Palm Ridge High Court in Gauteng recently, when he stated that he believed the complainant was over the age of 18. He is accused of offering the 41-year-old mother of the victim R160 000 for the little girl. He is alleged to have paid her R25 000 in cash and given her a vehicle.
Schoeman faces 26 counts, while the mother is charged with 72, for crimes that were allegedly committed between 2022 and 2023. These include rape, sexual exploitation of a minor, trafficking in persons, possession and distribution of child pornography, and pointing of a firearm.
The Boksburg Advertiser reported that, according to the prosecution, Schoeman met the girl through one of the mother’s online platforms in September 2022. It is alleged that he paid for sexual encounters with her on multiple occasions before offering to buy her from her mother. Prosecutors allege that after repeated sexual assaults, the girl was returned to her grandmother’s care in February 2023, following a confrontation by the grandmother.
The court also heard allegations that the mother forced her younger daughter, then 12, to perform sexual acts with paying men.
Schoeman maintained that he believed the girl was over the age of 18, despite the prosecution providing a copy of her birth certificate and the police getting a confirmation of her age from her mother. It was revealed in court that a fraudulent identity document had been made for the victim, showing that she was 18. This fake identity document had been dismissed by the police.
The trial continues.
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