Durban - Alleged brothel owners Genchen and Ravina Rugnath’s appeal, to the acting national director of public prosecutions to have their prosecution permanently stopped, has been refused.
The uMhlanga doctor and his wife are standing trial in the Durban Regional Court with Sandile Zweni, Nduduzo Dlamini and Bhabha Dubazani.
They are charged with more than 150 counts, including human trafficking and racketeering, relating to an alleged brothel operating from Inntown Holiday Lodge in Durban’s Point area.
The doctor is the director of a company that owns the lodge.
Among the allegations are that about 22 women and girls were recruited to work in the brothel, which was run from the 32-room lodge.
The State alleges one girl was only 12 when she was recruited, while others ranged in age between 13 and 25.
The trial stalled in April this year, after the couple’s attorney, Anand Nepaul, withdrew and their new legal team made representations to the State.
On Tuesday, National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Natasha Ramkisson said that acting national director of public prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba had decided the trial should continue.
“The State is ready to proceed with the trial and will oppose any application to postpone the matter,” she said.
In April, the couple’s advocate, Jimmy Howse, said the representations were “extensive” and dealt with the charges, evidence and procedural irregularities. He said the crux of it was that the State wanted to prove the Rugnaths guilty of racketeering on an “absurd proposition”.
The couple’s attorney, Mervin Maistry, said the defence would be ready to carry on with the trial next month.
He added that Jiba, in her decision, had ruled that a Constitutional Court challenge brought by Uruguayan businessman Gaston Savoi against the racketeering laws would not have an impact on his clients’ case.
Savoi - who is charged with racketeering, fraud and money laundering in the “Amigos” case - wants to have certain provisions in the racketeering legislation declared unconstitutional.
The Mercury