A 31-year-old woman appeared in court in Port Elizabeth in connection with the human trafficking case involving controversial Nigerian pastor, Timothy Omotoso.
The Hawks in the Eastern Cape said that Nobubele Mlindi appeared in court on Thursday for allegedly recruiting girls for purposes of sexual exploitation.
Hawks Eastern Cape spokesperson, Captain Anelisa Feni, said Mlindi had handed herself over to Hawks Trafficking in Persons Team in Port Elizabeth.
“She faces charges of Trafficking in Person and Exploitation for sexual purposes,” said Feni.
“Mlindi is a third suspect who has been arrested by the TIP team for allegedly recruiting girls all over the country and monitoring their movements in the houses where they were being kept.”
Zukiwa Sitho, 28, and Lusanda Solani, 36 are the first two suspects and they were each granted R2000 bail by the Port Elizabeth Magistrate court during November 2017.
“It is alleged that between 2012 and 2016, while working for the Department of Health in Port Elizabeth, Mlindi recruited girls from around the country to reside at Omotoso's house in KwaZulu-Natal,” Feni said.
“It is further alleged that she, at certain periods, was the Housemother for this house. Mlindi now resides at Mmabatho in the North West.”
Mlindi was granted R2000 bail and she and her three co-accused (including Omotoso) will appear before the same court on 11 April 2018.
Fifty-nine-year-old Omotoso was arrested on 20 April by the TIP team in Port Elizabeth.
“He is facing multiple charges related to the contravention of the Sexual Offences Act, these include numerous charges of rape. Some of the alleged victims were as young and 13-years,” Feni said.
The Acting Provincial Head for the Directorate For Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in the Eastern Cape, Major-General Zintle Mnonopi, congratulated her members for their determination in fighting Trafficking in Persons.
