JOHANNESBURG – An Ethiopian man has been charged with 12 counts of kidnapping and one count of failing to stop on police instruction after being arrested by the Hawks in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The man initially faced human trafficking allegations after being found harbouring 12 half-naked individuals who were initially believed to be teenage boys.
The accused appeared in the Booysens Magistrate’s Court on Friday 9 January after his case was postponed the day before to allow the court to source an Amharic interpreter.
His case has been postponed to Wednesday 14 January for him to secure legal representation and to make a possible bail application.
Victims revealed to be adults
Following the court appearance, the 12 individuals also appeared in the same court on charges of being in the country illegally. Their case was postponed to Thursday 15 January for possible guilty pleas.
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A medical assessment has since established that the 12 individuals were not teenagers as previously reported, but young adults between the ages of 22 and 33.
All parties have been remanded in custody.
