The owner of the Kitty-based Liquid Love Bar was this morning slapped with five offences in relation to human trafficking.
The woman, Savita Persaud, 33, of Station Street, Kitty, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The first two charges stated that between January 31, 2019 and March 8, 2019 at Station Street, Kitty, she engaged in trafficking in persons by recruiting, transporting, and harbouring two Venezuelans for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Persaud received another two charges which alleged that, during the same period, she unlawfully withheld the identification cards of two Venezuelan nationals in aid of trafficking in persons.
The last charge stated that during the same period she employed a 17-year-old child on a premises that sells intoxicating liquor.
The woman was not required to plead to the charges after they were read to her.
According to information, the businesswoman employed the Venezuelans to work at her business place and she rented them a place to live. However, when the women were unable to pay the rent, the businesswoman confiscated their travel documents and forced them into prostitution.
It was reported that the women would normally have to hand over the monies to the businesswoman who promised to return their travel documents.
The women then went and reported the matter to the police. An investigation was then carried out and Persaud was arrested for the offence.
The court prosecutor objected to bail being granted to the businesswoman on the grounds of the prevalence of the offence, the penalty the charge attracts, and the fact that the Venezuelans are in protective custody.
Hence, the magistrate remanded Persaud to prison. She was instructed to make her next court appearance on March 15, 2019.
