Trial in human trafficking case begins

Manama : A man will stand trial before the First High Criminal Court next month for human trafficking after he apparently locked a housemaid at his house for months.

Deputy Chief Attorney at the Public Prosecution Abdullah Al Thawadi said in a statement issued yesterday that the case has been referred by the prosecution to the court and that the first trial will be on August 14.

Al Thawadi explained that the victim said in the interrogation that the man had recruited her to work as a helper at his house in Bahrain. She claimed that he abused her and forced her to stay in the house and his private office.

“The victim alleged that the suspect had deprived her of food and didn’t issue legal documents for her in Bahrain or transfer her to another sponsor,” Al Thawadi said.

“The accused frequently warned her of reaching out to the police, since she was illegally staying in the Kingdom. This situation forced her to stay and accept the situation,” Al Thawadi said. He also clarified that investigations unveiled that the suspect had counterfeited official documents related to the recruitment of the victim, linking her with a different sponsor.

Al Thawadi added that the results of the investigations and the testimonies of the people involved in the case confirmed the incident. 

However, the official did not reveal anything about the nationalities of the people involved.