Doctor held for child trafficking
2012-03-30 19:31
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Durban - Two more people, a doctor and his wife, have been arrested in connection with human trafficking and a child sex ring in KwaZulu-Natal, police said on Friday.
Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Mdunge said the couple was expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate's Court later on Friday on charges of human trafficking and operating a brothel.
Nonduzo Dlamini, 23, Bhabha Dubazini, 29, and Sandile Zweni have already appeared in court in connection with the case that saw police rescue some 24 girls from a building in Durban's Point area.
The area has a reputation of being plagued by prostitution and drugs.
Mdunge said the couple was arrested at an upmarket resort in Umhlanga, about 15km north of Durban.
Packing his suitcase
"The couple had been given an ultimatum to hand themselves over to the police upon their return from Mauritius."
However, they failed to do so and police arrested them. According to Mdunge the doctor was packing his suitcase when police arrested him.
"We gave him a chance to hand himself over. When we asked him why he didn’t do so, he said he was scared," Mdunge said.
When police made the initial arrests in February, they reportedly found 16 girls, some as young as 12, under the influence of drugs.
On 19 February, KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Weziwe Thusi urged parents to claim the girls.
Mdunge said on Friday there were in fact 24 girls trapped in the ring. So far, nine had been returned to their parents. The others were being kept in a place of safety.
- SAPA
