Cape Town – The Eastern Cape man calling himself an “apostle” who lured his victims with promises of non-existent jobs via social media has been found guilty in the Bizana High Court of rape and human trafficking.
The self-proclaimed apostle, Hlumelo Dywili, 35, faced multiple charges of human trafficking and charges of compelling and causing a person to witness a sexual offence.
The court found him guilty on four counts of rape, two counts of human trafficking and one count of compelling and causing a person to witness a sexual offence.
Dywili was arrested in August 2021 by police in Bizana but the matter was later referred to the East London-based Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations’ (Hawks) Serious Organised Crime Investigation team.
According to the Eastern Cape spokesperson for the Hawks, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, the investigation uncovered four women between the ages of 20 and 24 who had fallen victim to Dywili’s scam.
“Dywili allegedly used his Facebook account to lure victims under false pretences that he was going to offer them non-existent jobs.
“He also used the Nkonjane community radio station in Flagstaff, purporting to be an anointed prayer warrior who helps people to get healed and get solutions to daily life strife.
“Many of his followers came forward to bear testimony to the apostle’s divine powers as they insinuated that he had helped them with solving their health and general life problems,” Mgolodela said.
Dywili made a number of attempts to get bail but later abandoned his bail applications, opting to remain in custody until his trial.
He has been in custody for more than a year.
Sentencing proceedings were scheduled for today, August 30.