DURBAN – Three men found guilty of human trafficking charges, racketeering and running a brothel from a Durban hotel will have to wait until later this month to find out how long they will spend behind bars.
Sandile Patrick Zweni, 37, Nonduzo Dlamini, 24, and Bhabha Dubazini, 29, had been due to be sentenced in the Durban Regional Court on Monday, but not all the necessary reports required for sentencing were available and their case was postponed to May 20.
The three were convicted in March by Magistrate Simphiwe Hlophe, who acquitted their two co-accused, Dr Genchen Rugnath and his wife Ravina.
The five had previously pleaded not guilty to the 156 charges that they faced, but in the end Zweni was convicted of 39 charges, Dlamini of 38 charges and Dubazini was convicted of 34 charges.
All three were convicted of racketeering, running a brothel, the sexual exploitation of a minor, living off the earnings of prostitution, human trafficking for sexual purposes and dealing in cocaine. Zweni and Dlamini were also convicted of kidnapping, while Zweni was also convicted of raping a minor and assault.
The State had argued that Zweni was the mastermind who ran the business from the hotel with the Rugnath’s knowledge.
However, Hlophe found that the Rugnaths did not know what was happening at their hotel, which they had entrusted to the State’s key witness, Veena Budhram, to manage.
Budhram will also have to wait to find out whether she will be charged. She turned state witness after her arrest.
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