A 32-year-old man was charged in the magistrate’s court today with trafficking four individuals, including three underage girls, for sexual exploitation.
No plea was recorded from Chu Nyuk Sheng after the charges were read before magistrate Nur Faezah Jafry.
He faces three separate charges involving the trafficking of minors for sexual exploitation, namely two 15-year-old girls — one Malaysian and one foreign national — as well as a 17-year-old foreign girl.
The offences fall under Section 14(1) of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670), which provides for life imprisonment or a minimum of five years’ jail, along with whipping upon conviction.
In a separate charge, he is accused of trafficking a 30-year-old foreign woman for sexual exploitation under Section 12 of the same Act, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine if convicted.
General legal observers note that human trafficking cases involving minors are treated with severe penalties under Malaysian law due to the high level of vulnerability of victims.
Deputy public prosecutor Ong Teik Yi led the prosecution, while the accused was not represented by legal counsel.
The court denied bail and fixed June 15 for mention at the Sessions Court.
According to the facts of the case, police from the Criminal Investigation Department raided a hotel room and arrested the suspect, while also rescuing all four victims during the operation.
