THE two accused persons in the domestic human trafficking case have been remanded in prison awaiting judgment after the three assessors delivered a unanimous guilty opinion.
Inoke Raikadroka, 24 and Mohammed Sheefaz Jameer Sagaitu, 25, appeared before Justice Paul Madigan in Suva yesterday.
Mr Raikadroka is charged with one count of slavery, another of aggravated sexual servitude and other related charges of domestic human trafficking while Mr Sagaitu was charged with two counts of domestic human trafficking.
After deliberating on the evidence for about three hours, the assessors — two ladies and a gentleman — returned with a guilty opinion.
The two accused are alleged to have committed the offences between May and December, 2012.
They are alleged to have arranged for the two complainants to have sex with men for money.
The two complainants in the case are sisters and are said to have been transported between Suva and Nadi to perform sexual services for men in exchange for money.
The High Court heard that the girls, Mr Raikadroka and his boyfriend stayed at and conducted business out of Elixir Apartments for two months before checking out.
In his closing submission Mr Raikadroka’s Legal Aid Commission lawyer Jeremaia Savou asked the assessors to consider the evidence given in court by the complainants that Mr Raikadroka did not force them to join him and his boyfriend at Elixir Apartments and that they went to the hotel room willingly.
Mr Savou said Mr Raikadroka never restricted their movements while they were together and that they were free to see whichever client they wished.
Mr Sagaitu’s lawyer Romanu Vananalagi made comparisons to the parable of the good Samaritan stating that his client had only acted as a “good Samaritan” by providing clients for the girls when they needed money.
Mr Vananalagi said the girls would call Mr Sagaitu asking him to arrange clients for them as they were short on cash.
Justice Madigan will deliver his judgment on Friday.
