Brazilian businesswoman, miner arraigned with human trafficking

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Friday remanded a Brazilian national along with a miner after they were slapped with separate charges of human trafficking when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Thirty-two-year-old Christina Rodriquez Gomes and 50-year-old Arnold Melville of Iteringbang, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) were not required to plea to the indictable charge.
The indictable charge against Gomes alleged that between November 4 and 28, 2018, at her business place, the Ola Hotel, she engaged in Trafficking In Persons (TIP) by harbouring two Venezuelan women by abusing their positing for the purpose of labour exploitation.
Another charge read that on the same dates and location, Gomes confiscated their travel documents.
The accused was represented by Attorney Siand Dhurjon, who in a bail application, informed the court that his client received application from the Venezuelan women to be hired as cooks but they were hired as maids instead and were paid on a weekly basis.
He further stated that this issue stemmed from a misunderstanding between the women and their employer. However, she was remanded to prison until January 3, 2019.
On the other hand, Melville was slapped which charges alleging that between November 4 and 28, 2018, at Iteringbang, he assisted Gomes by recruiting and transporting the two women by means of deception for the purpose of labour exploitation. He was represented by Attorney Clyde Forde who made an unsuccessful bail application. He too was remanded to prison until March 19, 2018.
His matter was transferred to the Kamarang Magistrate’s Court.