KUALA LUMPUR: Five Bangladeshis pleaded not guilty in two Sessions Courts, here, today to human trafficking charges for sexual exploitation involving 11 Bangladeshi women, aged 20 to 40 years.
In court before judge Azura Alwi, Md Kabir, 37, Md Razon Ahmed, 22, and Pranto Pik, 23, were charged with trafficking of five Bangladeshi women at a hotel, here, at 10.40am on July 4.
Meanwhile, Abu Bakar Siddique, 20, and Selina Begum, 39, pleaded not guilty to a charge of trafficking of a Bangladeshi woman at Wisma K. Sengoden & Sons, here, at 10.40am last July 4.
The five accused also claimed trial to the same charge involving another Bangladeshi woman.
In another Sessions Court, before judge Azman Ahmad, Kabir, Razon and Pranto were charged with three counts of committing similar offences on another three women, while Abu Bakar and Selina were charged with the same offence involving a woman at the same premises, time and date.
They were charged under Section 12 of Anti-Trafficking In Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment up to 15 years and also liable to be fined, if found guilty.
DPP S. Kirubin appeared for the prosecution while all the accused were represented by lawyer P. Muniswer and both courts fixed Aug 15 for case mention. — Bernama