Nigerian man loses appeal, to rot in South African jail

A South African High Court has upheld the conviction of a Nigerian man, Chinedu Justice Obasi, who bagged 18 years in prison for human trafficking and fraudulent marriage.

Obasi, convicted in 2017 and sentenced in 2018, was found guilty of harbouring women for prostitution in Pretoria and marrying a South African woman in a sham union to secure residency.

His brother, Obioma Benjamin Abba, is already serving 12 years for his role.

Court papers revealed how Obasi kept two women, identified as Busisiwe and Puleng under his control, forcing them into prostitution, seizing their earnings, and even feeding them drugs to ensure dependency. The victims were constantly monitored and only allowed outside to work.

The marriage charge dated back to 2005 when Obasi wedded a South African citizen without living together as a couple, purely to legalise his stay in the country.

Justice Graham Moshoana, who dismissed Obasi’s appeal, said the evidence was clear and branded the case “modern-day slavery.”

“Human trafficking exists because people are vulnerable to exploitation due to poverty, lack of education and desperation,” the judge declared.

Obasi will now serve his full 18-year sentence behind bars.