A man, Ifeanyi Ifeanacho, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for trafficking a woman to KwaZulu-Natal, raping her and forcing her into prostitution. The Pinetown Regional Court convicted him of trafficking in persons, kidnapping, keeping a brothel, procuring a female for prostitution, living on the earnings of prostitution, defilement, money laundering and other offences.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the woman was lured to KwaZulu-Natal by Ifeanacho between September 2 and 6, 2022, and was allegedly kept captive and raped twice by him. She was also forced into prostitution with clients who visited the house, which was being operated as a brothel. The woman asked to leave the house on several occasions, but this angered Ifeanacho, who assaulted her.
Ifeanacho's co-accused, Mapule Rose Tshibangila, was sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison after being convicted of trafficking in persons and several related offences, including rape. The court deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment for trafficking in persons, finding that Tshibangila had played a lesser role and had acted under Ifeanacho's instructions.
The woman eventually managed to contact her sister, who alerted police to her whereabouts. Law enforcement officers then rescued her and arrested the accused. During the trial, evidence was led from the woman and her sister, as well as police officers who attended the scene. The State also presented cellphone and medical evidence.
A victim impact statement compiled by the woman and facilitated by court preparation officer Bonisile Mthethwa was also handed in. In the statement, the woman said she had been a "happy and carefree person" before the incident but now struggled with trust issues and lived in constant fear. She said she was afraid of strangers and that the incident had "destroyed" her life.
Ifeanacho was sentenced to life imprisonment for trafficking in persons and life imprisonment for each of the two rape convictions. His sentences will run concurrently, with him serving an effective life sentence. Tshibangila will serve an effective 15-year sentence. Both accused were declared unfit to possess firearms and unsuitable to work with children.
The court also ordered that their names be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. The NPA welcomed the sentences, saying trafficking in persons was a serious violation of human rights and bodily integrity. The sentences were particularly significant as South Africa observes National Human Trafficking Month during October.
Key points
- Ifeanyi Ifeanacho was sentenced to life imprisonment for trafficking in persons and rape.
- Mapule Rose Tshibangila was sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison for her role in the trafficking and rape.
- The sentences were handed down during National Human Trafficking Month in South Africa.
