Accused Justice Lyke Ikachuku (37) appeared before the Bloemfontein Magistrate Court on Monday, 01 March 2021 facing charges of trafficking in persons.
His charges originate from the incident which took place between Friday, 04 December 2020 and Sunday, 14 February 2021 where the suspect proposed to a 23-year-old South African female to be his girlfriend. Ikachuku promised the victim a hair salon and a music studio. Ikachuku then took the victim to his place and kept her hostage.
He then coerced the victim to work as a sex slave. On several occasions, Ikachuku booked the victim in different guesthouses to meet clients. The money that she received for sexual exploitation was then collected by Ikachuku. The victim managed to escape after one of the clients gave her R350-00 to run away. She then ran to the police where a case was opened and reported to the Hawk’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation for a further probe which led to the arrest of Ikachuku on Friday, 26 February 2021.
The case against Ikachuku has been postponed to Monday, 08 March 2021 for a formal bail application.
