Rosettenville 'child pimp' accused in court

A 30-year-old man alleged to be a pimp for young prostitutes in Rosettenville appeared in the South Gauteng High Court on Tuesday where closing arguments took place.

The Nigerian national was alleged to have trafficked a 15-year-old girl in 2015 who had run away from home following a fight with her mother.

The teen reportedly ended up in Eke Ugochukwu's residence after she and Ugochukwu's girlfriend‚ who happened to be her friend‚ were picked up by him in Vereeniging.

She did not know that her friend was a prostitute.

The girl‚ who isn't being named‚ claimed that she was kept against her will by the accused and forced into prostitution‚ charging R50 per client.

She would see at least six clients a night.

The money that both girls made on the streets was handed over to the accused‚ who they knew as Johnny.

In return‚ the girls were given drugs‚ food and shelter.

The kidnapped girl claimed that her friend later left her in Rosettenville and her numerous attempts to escape were thwarted by the accused and other men who were present at the house.

Evidence from the teenager was that the accused as well as all her clients had sex with her without her consent.

She ran away several weeks later to a nearby church where she found help.

Judge Majake Mabesele challenged the prosecutor's argument.

He said the girls willingly agreed to go to Vereeniging.

Le Roux‚ however‚ argued that it was uninformed consent; as the complainant was not made aware that her friend was taking her to a brothel.

Mabesele said he believed that the young girl left the brothel because she was sick and had sores on her body.

"There was no longer business because she was sick‚" Mabesele said.

Meanwhile‚ Ugochukwu's lawyer‚ Sechaba Mokhachane‚ argued that the testimony of the complainant should not be accepted as she admitted to have been under the influence of drugs most of time when she was in Ugochukwu's company.

Ugochukwu had admitted to selling drugs to prostitutes but denied ever giving any to the minor.

He claimed to have given the drugs to his girlfriend‚ who shared the drugs with her friend.

Ugochukwu said he chased the girl away from the brothel when he realised that she was a minor.

The case is a first of its kind under the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act‚ 7 of 2013. The Act came into operation on 9 August 2015.

Before this date‚ there was no separate‚ specific legislation governing this crime in South Africa.

The street where the girl was allegedly kept is notorious for its brothels and drug dens.

Several weeks ago‚ numerous houses thought to be drug dens and brothels were torched by community members.

- TMG Digital