The four Ugandans facing different charges, respectively, of human trafficking, kidnapping, rape, attempted murder, illegal abortion and being in the country illegally reappeared in the Secunda Magistrate’s Court on July 8.
Lydia Mojemba (37), Wilson Seyikabi (49), Jingo Wassua (38) and Njobozi Katiti (46) were arrested in Ogies in July 2018 after they allegedly abducted Mojemba’s niece at her boyfriend’s house on July 13, 2018.
Mojemba’s niece, also a Ugandan national, was lured to SA to work for her aunt, who handed out pamphlets advertising abortion and traditional healer services.
The four allegedly kidnapped the niece and performed an illegal abortion on her. Katiti admitted in court that he discarded of the stillborn next to the train tracks in Ogies.
The niece escaped from the room where they held her, contacted her boyfriend and fled to Secunda, whereafter the couple went to the police and accompanied them to Ogies, where they arrested the four.
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The legal representative for three of the four accused argued in court on July 8 that it was not kidnapping, that the niece went with them willingly and that she had plenty of opportunities to escape when the four took her with them to go out.
He also argued the charge of attempted murder and said the niece experienced labour pains.
In reaction, State prosecutor Tracy Keen-Horak said the niece was eight months pregnant, accompanied by three men and one woman, and asked how she was supposed to run away.
She also said the niece did not have a passport and that that is the first thing most traffickers do – take away a person’s passport so they cannot escape.
The court postponed the case to July 17 for judgment.
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