Human trafficking trial continues in KZN
2013-01-25 09:27
Johannesburg - The trial involving five people accused of human trafficking
and keeping a brothel continues in the Durban Regional Court on Friday.
A doctor, his wife, and three men face a total of 156 charges including
assault, rape, sexual exploitation of a child, and racketeering.
Sandile Patrick Zweni, 36, Nonduzo Dlamini, 24, Bhabha Dubazini, 29, Dr
Genchen Ragnath, 58, and his 47-year old wife Ravina, could face life
imprisonment if convicted.
They allegedly ran a brothel in Durban where children as young as 12 were
kept.
Zweni, Dlamini, and Dubazana were arrested along with a fourth person in
February last year.
They pleaded not guilty in the Durban Regional Court to dealing in cocaine,
human trafficking, and keeping a brothel.
Brothel hotels
Rugnath owned two lodges in central Durban: Down Town, in Smith Street, and
Inn Town, in the Point area.
A state witness told the court on Thursday that Durban police knew about an
alleged brothel hotel in the city.
Yvonne Dudu Shinga, a receptionist who made bookings for prostitutes
testified there was no need for her to blow the whistle, as both police and the
eThekweni metro police had been to the hotel.
Shinga said police would leave and come back while at times the eThekwini
metro police took photos of the girls and told them not to do it.
The trial continues.
- SAPA
