/ 22 February 1999

INVESTIGATION INTO SLAVE TRADE

CHARGES against alleged international slave trader, Joseph Amos Nkuna, were temporarily withdrawn in the Tonga Magistrate’s Court near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga on Tuesday, for further police investigations. Superintendent Thys Loedolff said on Friday that police need more time to investigate allegations that 39-year-old Nkuna was part of a Witbank-based syndicate that sold illegal Mozambican and Swaziland immigrants in South Africa. Nkuna has been charged with three different counts of aiding illegal immigrants to enter South Africa. Loedolff says the charges against Nkuna were not permanently withdrawn. “After the investigation is completed, we will charge him again, and include the withdrawn charges,” he explained.