Ruling on bail application for Asian this Friday

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

PRINCIPAL Magistrate Jim Seuika will decide on the bail application made on behalf of an Asian man, Thien Seng Wong who is alleged of human trafficking, this Friday.

The defence lawyer from the Public Solicitor’s Office made the application on behalf of his client yesterday.

Previously there were two applications made by the previous defence lawyer and the court had refused the application on the same applicant and now for the third time the accused is applying for another bail.

Mr Wong is a 55-year-old male from Malaysia alleged of human trafficking incident.

His lawyer, George Gray has submitted to the court that there is a change of circumstance on this case and also the accused has been explained of the protection orders and the need for him to comply with the orders of the court.

And there is no reason for the refusal on his application for bail.

Mr Gray said if he is granted bail the accused will certainly abide by any bail condition granted by the court.

He argues that the trial has not even started and the court cannot just keep the accused in custody.

Meanwhile the Prosecution objected the application that there is no change of circumstance as the defence mentioned.

This is the case against Wong, an employee of the Malaysian logging giant Earthmovers and he is facing count of human trafficking under the section 77 of the Immigration Act 2012.

He was accused of carrying out internal human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation between November 30, 2015 and January 2016.

The prosecution alleged that Seng had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl in 2015 up until 2016.

The alleged incident occurred at a logging camp in Isabel province where the accused was working as a manager at the logging camp at the time of the alleged incident.

Prosecution said the father of the girl was also working at that logging camp.

The camp belongs to Jubilant Development Logging, an offshoot of Earth Movers logging company.

That logging company has a camp in Isabel as well as in Vella La Vella.

It was alleged the accused started living with the girl at the Isabel logging camp.

He also took the girl with him when he was transferred to the camp at Vella la Vella.

The accused was arrested after a joint operation made up of police and immigration officers investigated the matter following a media article on the matter.

The office of the Director Public Prosecution appears on behalf of the crown on the case.

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