The Hawks rescued the 12-year-old girl.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Media
A 43-year-old man, David Chauke, has been convicted in the Worcester Regional Court on multiple charges, including the abduction and rape of a 12-year-old girl who was discovered living with him as his wife.
The conviction follows a lengthy legal process initiated after a multi-disciplinary rescue operation led by the Hawks in late 2020.
Chauke faced a comprehensive list of charges, including abduction, trafficking in persons, rape, sexual exploitation of children, and contravening the Immigration Act.
The provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks), Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani, confirmed that the child was rescued during an intelligence-led operation in Robertson in November 2020.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that two local women first flagged the situation to a community leader in Robertson. They reported that a young girl was living with an adult male and expressed grave concerns that the child was being held against her will under the guise of a domestic partnership.
“The matter was investigated by the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team, which led to the arrest of Mr Chauke on November 13, 2020, by a multi-disciplinary team consisting of SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS), Department of Social Development (DSD), and Interpol,” Hani stated.
The young girl was successfully removed from the premises and placed in the care of social services at the time of the arrest. Chauke has remained in custody for the duration of the trial.
Following the court's verdict, which found him guilty on all counts, the matter has been postponed for sentencing. Chauke is expected to be sentenced on 19 May.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL