Zimbabwean man gets two life terms for trafficking girl (aged 12) to South Africa and raping her

A Zimbabwean man has been sentenced to two life terms in South Africa after being convicted of trafficking and repeatedly raping a 12-year-old girl he brought from Zimbabwe.

David Chauke, who was 27 at the time of the offence, abducted the girl from Manicaland in January 2020 and took her to South Africa, first to Brits in North West and later to Robertson in the Western Cape.

The court heard that Chauke manipulated the girl into believing that he loved her and intended to marry her. He allegedly isolated her from her family and instructed her to lie about her age, claiming she was 16.

The girl became dependent on him for food, accommodation and transport.

Community members in Robertson eventually raised concerns after noticing the child living with Chauke as his wife. He was arrested in November 2020.

The girl testified in court through a Shona-speaking intermediary.

Chauke denied the charges and claimed cultural beliefs supported his conduct, but the court convicted him of abduction, trafficking in persons, rape, sexual exploitation and an immigration offence.

In addition to the two life sentences, he received five years for abduction, 15 years for sexual exploitation and 12 months for violating the Immigration Act.

The court also ordered that his name be placed on South Africa’s National Register for Sex Offenders and National Child Protection Register, and declared him unfit to possess a firearm.

The National Prosecuting Authority said the case demonstrates the need for continued efforts to combat human trafficking, child exploitation and sexual offences. *_-The Citizen_*