SIBU: A man was yesterday sentenced to a total of nine years’ jail by the Sessions Court here for three charges of human trafficking.
The accused, an Indonesian named only as Sarji, was sentenced to three years for each of the three charges.
Judge Dean Wayne Daly ordered the sentences to run concurrently.
Sarji and three women believed to have been involved in the vice were arrested at 4.45pm on July 15 when a police team raided a hotel in town.
Based on investigation, the three women were believed to be the victims of human trafficking.
They were Pupu Marpuah, 28, from Bandung; Mila, 26, from Jakarta; and Erus, 25, from Jember. All three places are in Indonesia.
The charges against Sarji were listed under Section 12 of the Anti-Human Trafficking Act 2007.
The Section provides for a jail term not exceeding 15 years and a fine.
According to the brief facts, Sarji would look for customers and the women were required to go to the appointed hotel. A customer would pay RM60 to RM100 to Sarji at the hotel’s door before a woman was allowed to enter the room.
The women stated that Sarji promised to give them half of the payment but they had not received it so far.
Sarji told them that the share of money they earned was to pay for the expenses for their journey to Malaysia, which they still owed him.
They would only be given RM8 to RM10 everyday for meals and their income would be deducted for accommodation.
Mila said they were forced to serve customers, and would not be given money for meals if they refused.