BY Fadley Faisal

The High Court on Tuesday heard a human trafficking case and adjourned it to June 13.

Bangladeshi Khairul Bashar, 42, earlier denied the charge of human trafficking.

Judicial Commissioner Muhammed Faisal bin Pehin Datu Juragan Laila Diraja Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Kefli heard that Khairul Bashar allegedly committed two counts under Section 4 of the Trafficking and Smuggling of Persons Order 2004 for committing the offence of human trafficking.

Investigations by the Human Trafficking Investigation Unit of the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) revealed that the defendant allegedly trafficked two Bangladeshi nationals to the Sultanate in 2018 through deception for forced labour.

The instances having allegedly occurred in 2018, before the entry into force of the current Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, Chapter 230, means the charges brought by the Public Prosecutor falls under the Trafficking and Smuggling of Persons Order 2004.

The charges carry penalties of a fine not exceeding BND1,000,000, imprisonment for a maximum of 30 years and whipping.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor’adliatul Hidayah binti Haji Mohd Zaidi represented the public prosecutor in the case on Tuesday.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin