A single rape complaint has opened a can of worms into a slew of human trafficking and child labour cases allegedly linked to an Aberdeen farmer in the Eastern Cape.
On Monday, a team of detectives from Graaff-Reinet made a breakthrough in their investigation, Eastern Cape police said, after a 41-year-old farmer was arrested for his alleged involvement in several serious criminal cases including human trafficking (five counts), rape (five counts) assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, intimidation and child labour.
“A task team from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit in Graaff-Reinet made a breakthrough, after their extensive investigative work uncovered a number of cases of human trafficking and rape that emanated from a case of rape that was opened in February 2023.
“The investigation led to the arrest of a 41-year-old man from Aberdeen, who was linked to at least five cases of human trafficking and rape between 2020 and 2023 in the Eastern Cape and other provinces,” Eastern Cape police spokesperson, Majola Nkohli said.
The suspect was expected to appear in the Aberdeen Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Meanwhile two men were sentenced to three life terms and 20 years’ imprisonment respectively for separate rape and sexual assault cases in Belhar and Caledon.
The convictions were handed down by the Western Cape High Court and Caledon Regional Court last week, following investigations by the Belhar and Caledon Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units.
Cape Times