A 30-year-old female suspect arrested by the Hawks yesterday (Monday 12 October) for her alleged involvement in trafficking in persons made her first appearance in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court today.
Hawks teams based in George and Bellville respectively executed the arrest after a warrant of arrest was issued against her, said Lt Col Siyabulela Vukubi, Hawks spokesperson.
Vukubi said the matter against Miracle Agunun, the suspect, was postponed to Friday 23 October for a bail application.
August brothel search
The arrest follows a joint operation in August, when the Hawks along with officials from the Department of Home Affairs conducted a search at an identified brothel in Rondebosch.
A 21-year-old female, a foreign national, was found in the flat working as a sex worker, Vukubi said. Investigation revealed that she was a victim of trafficking and was rescued by the team.
First suspect already in custody
The person alleged to have trafficked the victim, Philip Udogwu, was identified and arrested. He appeared in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on Monday 21 September and remains in custody awaiting his formal bail application.
It was further established that Udogwu had an accomplice who worked with him to groom the victim into a sex worker.
Udongwa and his co-accused Agunun will appear together in court next week.
NovaNews reported on Udongwa’s arrest last month.
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At the time the Hawks indicated that the 55-year-old Udogwu, also a foreign national, was arrested in Goodwood. During this arrest the Hawks were assisted by the City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement and counter-trafficking organisation A21. He was arrested on Friday 18 September on a charge of trafficking in persons, the Hawks said then.
