A convicted pimp from Milnerton has blamed the horrific living conditions in Pollsmoor Prison for the reason that his estranged wife and co-accused turned on him at the Western Cape High Court.
In a series of dramatic testimonies, Edward Ayuk and his Leandre Williams have turned on each other as they took the stand before Judge Alma De Wet to beg for a lighter sentence.
The couple alongside Edward’s cousin, Yannick, were convicted of human trafficking and running a brothel in Brooklyn after going on trial in November 2021.
The trio were charged with rape, kidnapping, assault among others.
The female victims told the court of drug abuse, beatings and the semantics of working on the streets of the Mother City.
Williams also took the stand in her own defence denying she had trafficked any women from Springbok.
After the state closed its case, defence lawyer Advocate Bash Sibda successfully argued for the acquittal of 27 charges against Yannick.
Williams returned to the stand first where she wept and asked why Edward did not admit his guilt, saying she and Yannick were innocent.
She accused the father of her children of abusing her and other women, saying he treated them like products he bought in a winkel.
Edward told the court that he was a good Christian man and denied all Williams’ claims.
“I don't know why she is saying these things but nobody wants to see prison. She can say whatever she wants but I am saying it is because of prison. Pollsmoor is not a nice place,” he said.
Both Edward and Yannick highlighted the conditions in the mang saying it was worse for foreigners who were not part of the numbers gang.
Yannick told the court he had been placed in overcrowded cells and given twee snytjies brood each day, and the last time his family was able to visit him was two years ago.