KOTA TINGGI: A 28-year-old manager of a cafe owned by Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) Holdings Sdn Bhd was charged at the Sessions Court here today with four counts of human trafficking.
Mohamad Suhaimi Mohd Sani, who is the manager of Kafe Ikhwan, pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, which were read to him by the court interpreter before Judge Hadya Faridzal Abu Hassan.
According to all the charge sheets, Suhaimi, along with two suspects who have already been charged—Mahmad Hamal Tukiman and Rabiahtul Adawiah Md Shash—and two others still at large, Afizah Arifin and Norafiratul Abidah Ismail, were accused of acting with common intent to traffic three women and a man, aged between 30 and 57 years.
He was charged with exploiting the four people into forced labour through threats at Ikhwan Resort in Kampung Air Bintan, Ladang Sungai Papan, Bandar Penawar, Pengerang, between May and Oct 1 this year.
Suhaimi was charged under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, that carries the maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment and a fine, upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Khairuddin Khalid did not offer any bail but suggested an amount of RM20,000 to RM50,000 for each of charges, should the court consider granting bail to the accused.
He also proposed additional conditions, including two sureties, an order for the accused to surrender his passport to the court, report to the police station every month and prohibit him from having any contacts with the victims and witnesses.
Lawyer Muhammad Zahier Rosli, representing Suhaimi, appealed for his client to be granted bail at a lower amount on the grounds that he is caring for his wife, who is heavily pregnant and due to give birth next month.
Zahier added that his client is also the father of four children, aged between 2 and 11, and is the family's sole breadwinner, previously earning only RM2,000 per month.
The court later allowed bail at RM5,000 with one surety for each of charges along with additional conditions: the accused must surrender his passport to the court, report to the Kluang district police headquarters every month and that he is prohibited from contacting the victims and witnesses.
The judge allowed bail after Ahmad Khairuddin confirmed that the accused was no longer detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 or better known as Sosma.
Earlier today, Suhaimi together with GISB chief executive officer Datuk Nasiruddin Mohd Ali and the latter's wife Datin Azura Md Yusof filed a habeas corpus application in the High Court in Johor Baru to challenge their detention under Sosma.
In the application, Nasiruddin, Azura, and Suhaimi named the Home Minister, the Inspector-General of Police, the Public Prosecutor, the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Prisons Department directors as well as the Government of Malaysia as respondents.