Grilling for girl in sold-for-sex case

Four women charged with human trafficking, rape, appear in court

Defence attorney Mkhangeli Nqayana spent Thursday trying to punch holes in the testimony of the 14-year-old girl who was allegedly prostituted by four women in Whittlesea in 2016.

The girl had testified that Xolelwa Garhishe, Yolanda Klaas, Zintle Tom and Nwabisa Kaziwa had allegedly prostituted her for R80.

She told the Komani regional court that she had been raped by six men and been starved over four days.

However, Nqayana put it to the girl, who at the time of the alleged rape was 12 years old, that she had allegedly told his clients that she had a “blesser” who gave her money.

“The accused say you visited them frequently and you would come to their house with money claiming that you got it from your blesser,” said Nqayana, but the alleged victim denied this.

Nqayana also put it to the court that the alleged victim only answered questions she wanted to and ignored those she was not comfortable with.

“When I am not remembering something I am not remembering. I cannot agree with lies,” said the alleged victim

The four women have been charged with human trafficking and rape while their co-accused, Harun Mohammed faces a rape charge.

Nqayana said the alleged victim had contradicted testimonies of other state witnesses, to which she responded by saying all she knows is what happened.

She told Nqayana she had been held hostage by the four women, who prevented her from going to school.

“I could not go home as they threatened to kill me if I did. I never suspected anything because they were friendly to me, even when they said we must go to town I did not suspect anything,” she said.

She said she first became scared when they allegedly told her they were prostitutes and if she ran from them they would allegedly kill her.

“In the house they guarded me all the time and kept me against my will.

“There is nothing that I did without them monitoring me,” she said.

After intensive questioning by Nqayana, the young girl finally said she was exhausted and the case was rolled over to Friday.

In the house they guarded me all the time and kept me against my will