By: Kelvin Chiringa
The High Court has this week pushed two separate cases of rape and child trafficking to the 14th of March 2019 which will be dealt with on the mentions roll.
The first one involves a Russian marine pilot, Alexander Krylov and Anna Katrina Engelbrecht who this week made their very first appearances in connection with the alleged crimes.
Allegations are that Engelbrecht recruited minor children for sexual exploitation for the Russian.
Krylov who is in his late 50s will, on the set date, face the court on allegations of engaging in immoral acts with minors under the age of 16, and is in the meantime out on bail together with his co-accused.
He has sought the service of prominent lawyer Sisa Namandje.
However this week it became clear that Engelbrecht did not have a lawyer of her own and was reminded by the judge that she had a right to knock on the doors of the state legal aid to secure one.
She told the judge that reason she had failed to secure a lawyer was because, “I don’t have money”.
The court also pushed to the 14th of March the case of Andre Marjiedt who is facing charges of child trafficking and engaging in immoral acts.
He is being represented by Mbanga Siyomundji, a lawyer provided via the legal aid system and he has confirmed receiving the disclosure.
He will file his reply this coming week during which time he will have time to meet with the accused, while before the 7th of March the reply to the state’s pre-trial memorandum will be filed.
Mardjiet is now out on warning.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament, Elma Dienda, called for stricter amendments to the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Bill last year in parliament, a motion which was received with adulation.
She proposed for the inclusion in the bill of a clause that makes human trafficking offenders liable to life imprisonment in the case that the trafficking results in the death or grievous bodily harm of the victim.
“Trafficking in persons has become a well-documented issue although it remains in some ways invisible to our eyes,” she said.
She added, “The trauma suffered as a result of human trafficking can affect the victims for their whole life,” she said, “Poverty creates an environment within which trafficking of persons can easily occur.”
She also proposed that assistance be granted to victims of trafficking as well as tracing their families.
