Married couple claim trial to 8 counts of human trafficking

KOTA BARU: A married couple pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to eight counts of human trafficking for exploitation in March, involving eight teenagers.
Muslim Ab Karim, 56, and Zaleha Mohamad, 54, made the plea when the charges were read out before Magistrate Nazri Ismail.
It is understood the teenagers aged between 13 and 16 were used to sell a wide range of medicinal products and Islamic calendars.
The couple was charged with trafficking a 14-year-old girl for forced labour exploitation in front of Bank Islam Jalan Mahmood here, at 11.35pm on March 13, in violation of Section 2 of the Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act 1966.
In addition, Muslim and Zaleha were also accused of trafficking four boys aged between 15 and 16, and three girls aged between 14 and 16, at PT 4650 Taman Firdaus SBJ in Jalan Raja Zainab II, Panchor here at 12.25am on March 14 for the same purpose.
Nazri set June 11 for mention of the case. The couple was not offered bail.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Abazafree Mohd Abbas appeared for the prosecution while the couple was unrepresented.
Muslim and Zaleha, who are chairman and treasurer, respectively, of Pusat Latihan Amal Bestari, in Yan, Kedah, were also charged with several similar offences at the Sessions Court in Ipoh, Raub and Kuantan since last week. — Bernama