Nigerian man arrested during South African brothel raid

A South Africa-based Nigerian was arrested on Friday, after South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) raided a brothel in Klerksdorp, a city located in the North West Province, South Africa.

The Hawks, which is the Directorate’s law enforcement arm say they were tipped-off that Nigerian nationals had been running a brothel.

“We basically received information about a premises that was being used as a brothel. The informer as well alleged that there were Nigerian men that were running this brothel. So today we went to that premises and we found 26 females aged between 14 and 37,” Hawks spokesperson Tlangelani Rikhotso said.

The man was pointed out as the manager of the building where 26 women and underage girls were rescued during a sting operation. Nineteen men were also found on the premises during the raid.

NEWSVERGE gathered that the Hawks are probing whether human trafficking could possibly have been taking place and hope to reunite the girls and women with their families after they were questioned.

The Hawks also confirmed that the females were aged between 14 and 37, the youngest being a 14-year-old.

According to Hawks spokesperson Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso, a case of human trafficking is being suspected.

“We have conducted interviews with these ladies and we don’t know what they are alleging is what they have been told to say,” said Rikhotso.

“Currently as we have been doing the interviews, the ladies are saying that they came on their free will and they’re basically working there and earning their living but then with cases of human trafficking, the girls are told what to say.

“We can’t rule of human trafficking at this stage.” He said.