Cape Town – A Nigerian national was on Wednesday sentenced to five life imprisonment terms plus five years for human trafficking, rape, and assault by the Johannesburg Magistrates Court.
Peter Akadoronge, 37, was convicted on three counts of Trafficking in Persons(TIP), two counts of rapes of adults that happened more than once, and one count of assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm following an incident that happened in Thohoyandou on November 26, 2017.
The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), three women went in search for employment when they were approached by three Nigerian men with an employment offer.
GLD: Sentencing for human trafficking and multiple rapes pic.twitter.com/j8QMAerR3g
— NPASouthAfrica (@NPA_Prosecutes) November 10, 2021
The court heard how one of the ladies suggested that they go to a nearby nightclub to discuss the offer of employment.
“The men bought drinks for them and upon consuming these drinks, they became unconscious and after regaining consciousness, they realised that they were at an unknown place.
“The three men removed the ladies they found in the room and thereafter told them that they found the jobs they were looking for, which entailed them selling their bodies. The complainants told their captors that they were not going to sell their bodies. At this point, their captors started assaulting them and told them to take off their clothes.
“They further testified that they were raped as an induction to teach them their newly found job. After being raped, they were forced to take drugs on a daily basis whilst held captive. Different men were brought in to have sexual intercourse with them, following payment to their captors. If they refused to have sex with these men, they would be assaulted and deprived food,” the NPA said in a statement.
As time went by, their captors started trusting them and would leave them outside the yard unguarded.
NPA said on May 9, 2018 they managed to escape and stopped a vehicle that took them to Moffatview Police Station.
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“The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit took them to a help centre for counseling, examination by doctors and for treatment for drug addiction.
“The next day, Detective Armstrong Ndlala took them to Rosettenville in search of the suspects and they managed to point out Akadoronge, who was found standing next to a street light with eight other males.
“All men were arrested but later released, except for Akadoronge. He remained in custody until the finalisation of his case,” the NPA explained.
During court proceedings, state advocate Colleen Ryan argued that Akadoronge came as a visitor in South Africa and chose to disregard the laws of the country. She further added that he left his victims with both emotional and physical scars.
Delivering the judgement, Magistrate Simon Radasi remarked that the government promulgated various legislation in an attempt to turn the tide of gender-based violence, but these crimes continued unabated.
“Women have a legitimate claim to walk freely in our streets without fear of being abducted. The courts must remove people that are of danger to society out of circulation for very long periods to send a clear message that our justice system frowns upon such inhumane acts,” he said.
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Compiled by: Reginald Nhlapo
