Bahrain court acquits restaurant owner of human trafficking due to lack of evidence

TDT | Manama                                          

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

The First High Criminal Court has acquitted a Bahrain man of trafficking charges brought by the Public Prosecution. The First High Criminal Court cleared the accused of all charges after the defence proved that one of the workers had been employed by the man for 25 years.

In the court’s reasoning, it stated that it based it ruling on the evidence presented and the oral investigation it conducted. It also highlighted that contradictions in the victims’ statements and a lack of veracity led to doubts about the occurrence of the incident, ultimately resulting in the client’s acquittal.

The Court stated that based on the testimonies of the victims, it was confirmed that they worked for eight hours a day, receive overtime pay, had weekly leaves, and received monthly payments.

Additionally, the employer provided them with food and accommodation, and they had their passports with them. The victims also expressed their desire to continue working in the same facility. The Court found that these statements contradict the version presented by the Public Prosecution.

Moreover, the Court was not satisfied with the police investigation report. The Public Prosecution charged the accused with trafficking four restaurant workers, transporting and sheltering them, and subjecting them to forced labour. The suspect was also accused of employing them for additional hours without pay and denying them weekly day-offs.