The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has upheld the conviction and 18-year prison term of Nigerian national Chinedu Justice Obasi, who was found guilty of human trafficking and entering into a sham marriage to obtain residency.
Obasi was originally convicted in December 2017 on three counts two of harbouring women for exploitation and one of fraudulent marriage and sentenced in September 2018.
Court documents showed that between April and September 2016, Obasi held two women, Busisiwe and Puleng, in a Pretoria flat, forcing them into prostitution, seizing their earnings, supplying them with drugs, and tightly controlling their movements.
The fraudulent marriage charge dated back to 2005, when he wed a South African woman solely to secure legal status, with the court noting he never lived with her.
On appeal, Obasi argued that the trial court failed to weigh his personal circumstances and ignored evidence. But presiding judge Graham Moshoana dismissed the claims, pointing out that Obasi never testified in his own defence.
Calling the case “a clear instance of modern-day slavery,” Judge Moshoana emphasized the systemic roots of trafficking:
“Human trafficking exists because people are vulnerable to exploitation due to poverty, lack of education and desperation. Victims are often abused, confused and disoriented.”
With the ruling, Obasi will continue to serve his 18-year sentence.
