Trial begins of modelling boss accused of sex crimes

Modelling agency owner Dawie de Villiers has denied sexually abusing models he recruited.

De Villiers’s rape and sexual assault trial started in the Johannesburg High Court‚ sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court southeast of Johannesburg‚ on Monday.

Prosecutor Arveena Persad put 38 charges to De Villiers‚ accusing him of abusing of some of the models he worked with between 2006 and 2013.

The state alleges that De Villiers used a social media platform to recruit some of the models whom he allegedly abused sexually. Many of them were children.

The charges include rape‚ sexual assault‚ sexual grooming‚ possession of child pornography‚ intimidation and fraud.

Some of the complainants claimed that De Villiers stole money from them under the pretence of giving them modelling lessons.

De Villiers‚ who ran his modelling agency from his home in Kempton Park‚ east of Johannesburg‚ pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The trial was postponed to October 7 in order to arrange for an Afrikaans-speaking interpreter.