Plantation supervisor charged with 15 counts of human trafficking

IPOH: An oil palm plantation supervisor who claimed trial to trafficking 15 locals including two underage boys into forced labour was granted bail of RM90,000 by the Kuala Kangsar Sessions court today.
Judge Niran Tan Kran ordered L. Ganis, 43, to pay RM6,000 for each of the charge and also surrenderhis passport to the court.
He also have to report to the nearest police station every month monthly and stay away from the victims and their families.
Ganis from Bahau, Negri Sembilan claimed trial to all 15 charges after he was charged at the Kuala Kangsar magistrates' court on March 24.
He is accused of trafficking the victims at the plantation in Belukar Semang, Kampung Tasek, Pengkalan Hulu between April 2016 and Feb 26 this year. They included six male adults, two teenage boys and seven women aged between 13 and 66.
DPP Fadhli Ab Wahab (correct) objected to the bail noting the severity of the case.
Defense counsel S.M.Karunananthan told the court that his client had to take care of his two wives and also his blind mother.
Niran fixed April 18 for re mention and handover of the relevant documents.
The accused and his 24-year-old second wife were arrested during a police raid at the oil palm plantation on Feb 26.
The woman was later released on police bail.
Police rescued 18 victims from the plantation and on March 11 another victim was found in the same estate.
Meanwhile, the accused was also charged for having tattoo linked to Gang 04/18 on his right thigh at another magistrates court today.
He was charged under Section 52(3) of the Societies Act 1966, which carries a maximum five-year jail term and a fine of up to RM 15,000.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge, while his lawyer Karunananthan requested for a reasonable bail.
Magistrate Noorhidayah Mohd Saad granted RM4,000 bail and fixed April 18 for the case to be re mentioned in Pengkalan Hulu magistrate court and also to present documents related to the case.