Five, including 17-year-old, claim trial to human-trafficking charge in JB

JOHOR BARU: Five individuals, including an underaged boy, were charged at the Sessions’ Court here with human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation.

Sham Chee Fei, 33; Kuek Pei Lin, 19; Lee Chun Kit, 28; Tommy Voo Tze Hau, 27; and a 17-year-old boy pleaded not guilty to the charge before Judge Thalha Bachok @ Embok Mok on Tuesday (July 15).

According to the charge sheet, the five are accused of trafficking a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy, as well as a 26-year-old man, for the purpose of labour exploitation through deceptive means at a house along Jalan Lagenda 34, Taman Lagenda Putra in Kulai, between March 23 and May 23.

They were charged under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of life imprisonment or a minimum of five years’ jail and whipping upon conviction.

They also face charges under Section 12 of the same Act, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine, upon conviction.

At a different courtroom, Kuek, Voo and the underaged boy claimed trial to another two charges before Sessions Court Judge Nor Aziati Jaafar.

They were accused of acting in furtherance of a common intention to produce child sexual abuse material involving the same two teenage victims, in the form of videos and images.

The three accused were charged under Section 5 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act (SOACA) 2017 read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for up to 30 years’ imprisonment and no fewer than six strokes of the cane upon conviction.

At the same courtroom, another individual believed to also be a syndicate member, Abdul Rahufur Rahim Idris, 30, pleaded not guilty to a charge of non-physical sexual assault by instructing the female teenage victim to perform sexual acts on the male teenage victim.

He was charged under Section 15(f) of SOACA 2017, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM20,000, or both, upon conviction.

Meanwhile, Lee also pleaded not guilty to a charge of possessing child sexual abuse material consisting of two images and two videos found on his mobile phone.

The offence was allegedly committed at the same house at around 11.20am on June 20 and he was charged under Section 10 of SOACA 2017, which provides for up to five years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM10,000, or both.

Deputy Public Prosecutors Nur Diyana Zubir and Nur Farah Wahida Shahudin led the prosecution while the accused were represented by their respective lawyers.

The courts allowed bail at RM15,000 for Sham, RM30,000 for Kuek, RM26,000 for Lee, RM35,000 for Voo, RM20,000 for the underaged boy and RM6,000 for Abdul Rahufur Rahim.

All the accused were also ordered to comply with additional bail conditions, including a ban on contacting witnesses, reporting to the nearest police station monthly and surrendering their international passports to the court.

Both courts set August 13, 14, and 19 as the next mention and for submission of documents.