| 2024/04/12 |
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Media Statement FREE STATE – A 49-year-old Bangladeshi national is expected to appear before the Welkom Magistrates’ Court today, 12 April 2024, for alleged trafficking in persons. The court appearance comes after the suspect was traced and identified in Welkom before being apprehended by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation based in Welkom on 11 April 2024. A case docket was registered on 23 May 2023, after five women came forward and reported that they were married to unknown Bangladeshi men. The victims were misled and given R500 each per month after assisting these men to get permits to stay in South Africa. They were never told that the money was for arranged marriages. On 23 May 2023, police followed up information given by the victims and managed to arrest a 31-year-old female recruiter. She made a few court appearances until November 2023 when her matter was provisionally removed from the court roll. Police investigations are continuing. Ends
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