Cape Town – A convicted brothel queen from Milnerton, Leandre Williams, took the stand in the Western Cape High Court on Friday, attempting to justify her actions after being found guilty of human trafficking charges.
Williams, originally from Springbok, appeared alongside her estranged husband Edward Ayuk and his cousin, Yannick, as sentencing proceedings got underway. The trio, accused of running a brothel in Brooklyn, went on trial in November 2021 in the biggest human trafficking case before a local court for trafficking women from Springbok and the Eastern Cape.
They faced over 40 charges including rape, kidnapping, assault and various other offences for running the "suikerhuisie" in Milnerton. During the marathon trial, several women were transported from their hometowns to take the stand. They told the court of drug abuse, beatings and grim details of working on the streets of Cape Town.
Williams, however, maintained her innocence, denying she had trafficked any women from Springbok. After the state closed its case, defence lawyer Advocate Bash Sibda successfully argued for Yannick’s acquittal on 27 charges. The trio were later found guilty by Judge Alma de Wet on various charges, and Williams was taken into custody.
Taking the stand on Friday, Williams told the court that she did not really understand what prostitution was until she was charged criminally. She explained that, as a young mother in Springbok, she met a club owner who offered her money for tlof tlof. The woman, who formally testified about the sex trade in the diamond mines, said, in her view, it was a "normal life".
“He felt sexually attracted to me and offered me enough money to take care of me. At that time I didn’t know it was prostitution, I saw an opportunity and I grabbed it. He is married, yes. When he called me, I slept with him for money. I didn’t know it was prostitution. It went on and I met his friends in the industry. For us, it was just a normal life. You meet men, they buy you a beer and you go to bed with them,” Williams said in court.
Williams also told the court that when she arrived in Parow, the first time she met Edward, she accused him of using black magic to convince her to agree to marriage.
During court proceedings, probation reports for both Ayuk and Yannick were handed to the court. While Ayuk maintained he was framed, Yannick said he was only in the country for four months at the time of his arrest and maintained his innocence.
The probation officer recommended imprisonment for both cousins but said he found that they were both candidates for rehabilitation.
The case has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the ongoing issue of human trafficking in South Africa. The case has also brought to light the complex realities of the sex trade, and the challenges faced by women who are forced into prostitution.
The sentencing hearing is expected to continue on Monday, with the judge considering the probation reports and the arguments presented by the defence and the prosecution. The outcome of the case will have a significant impact on the fight against human trafficking in South Africa.
