20 years' imprisonment for Nigerian pimp‚ human trafficker

13 March 2017 - 14:12 By Naledi Shange
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A Nigerian national who trafficked a 15-year-old girl‚ forcing her into prostitution‚ will spend 20 years behind bars.

Eke Ugochukwe‚ 30‚ was sentenced in the South Gauteng High Court on Monday morning.

He held his hands to his lips as he listened to his sentence through an interpreter.

“The accused is sentenced to 15 years for counts 3‚ 4 ‚ 5 ‚ 6 together‚” said Judge Majake Mabasele.

  • READ: 'I hope he is made someone’s wife in jail‚' says victim of convicted Nigerian pimpThe young girl who was trafficked and forced into prostitution hopes her Nigerian pimp will be treated the same way he treated her. 

“He is sentenced to 10 years on count 8. Five years will run concurrently with the 15 years above‚” he added.

“Therefore the accused is sentenced to an effective term of 20 years imprisonment.”

The charges he was found guilty of included living off the proceeds of sexual exploitation‚ being an accomplice to rape and contravening the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act.

A group of Nigerian nationals seated at the back of the court murmured to themselves following the judgment.

A young woman‚ dressed in a peach dress sat amongst them.

  • READ: 'I have a lot of anger in me' - Teenage victim of human trafficking‚ drugs and prostitution now trying to rebuild her lifeNtokozo’s memories of how she became a victim of human trafficking‚ was weaned onto crystal meth and forced to sell her body in one of Rosettenville’s brothels sounds like something one would see in a movie. 

She sobbed as Ugochukwe’s sentence was read out.

It was not immediately clear what her relationship with him was.

Ugochukwe’s lawyer had pleaded with the court to be lenient on his client‚ arguing that he was first time offender‚ had a mother and child to support and had turned his back on his drug dealing ways.

Mabasele‚ however‚ said he did not agree that a fine would be an appropriate punishment.

Ugochukwe’s friends bid farewell to him as he was led down to the cells.

He waved back to them‚ looking emotional.

- TMG Digital

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