SANDAKAN: A 32-year-old man was charged in a Magistrate's Court here on Friday (May 29) with trafficking three underage girls for sexual exploitation.
The suspect, Chu Nyuk Sheng, was brought before Magistrate Nur Faezah Jafry on three charges under Section 14(1) of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
No plea was recorded as the offences fall under the jurisdiction of the Sessions Court.
According to the charges, he allegedly trafficked three girls aged between 15 and 17 years old at Hotel City View in Sandakan at about 10.45pm on May 14.
The victims were identified as a 15-year-old Malaysian girl and two undocumented girls aged 15 and 17 years old.
If convicted, he faces life imprisonment or a jail term of not less than five years, and is also liable to whipping.
Chu was also charged under Section 12 of the same Act for allegedly trafficking a 30-year-old Indonesian woman for the purpose of sexual exploitation at Hsiang Garden Hotel in Bandar Leila at about 10.15pm on the same day.
The offence carries a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine upon conviction.
Court documents stated that police from the Sandakan district police headquarters conducted a raid at Hotel City View following intelligence gathering and rescued three underage girls believed to be victims of sexual exploitation.
The accused was allegedly found controlling the victims and was subsequently arrested.
Prosecuting officer Ong Teik Yi appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was unrepresented. The investigating officer for the case is Asst Supt Kharuddin Husain.
The court fixed June 15 for mention of the case in the Sessions Court.
