Three “recruiters” whose false promises lured victims into a nightmare have been traced and arrested by the Hawks’ anti-human trafficking team.

Leandre Meryl Williams Ayuk‚ 35‚ allegedly recruited victims under false pretences to travel from Springbok to Cape Town. On arrival‚ they were allegedly coerced into drugs and prostitution.

Ayuk appeared in the Springbok Magistrate’s court on Wednesday.

She allegedly recruited victims for her husband Edward Ayuk‚ who was arrested for a similar offence in September 2017. Two victims‚ aged 16 and 29‚ were rescued from his house in Brooklyn‚ Cape Town‚ after his arrest.

Two other alleged recruiters‚ Vincent Ndidi Onyejekwa‚ 39‚ and Uche Henry Ezenwa‚ 35‚ appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Investigators linked them as recruiters to trafficking cases in Bellville and Milnerton in Cape Town.

In these cases‚ according to Hawks spokesman Captain Philani Nkwalase‚ two victims were lured and transported from Johannesburg to Cape Town with promises of lucrative job opportunities.

Ezenwa is expected to appear in the Cape Town Regional Court on September 17‚ while Onyejekwa will appear in the Bellville Regional Court on September 18.