A wildlife exporter was taken before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday after he was charged for trafficking two Venezuelan nationals for labour exploitation.
Feezal Shaw, 62, of Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD), appeared before Magistrate Annette Singh and denied the charge.
The charge stated that between February 14, 2019 and June 14, 2019 at Soesdyke, Shaw engaged in Trafficking In Persons, in that he recruited, harboured and transported the two men for the purpose of labour exploitation.
According to Police reports, during the month of February 2019, the victims were invited by Shaw to come to Guyana and build cages for him to keep his exotic animals.
The prosecution is contending that when the victims arrived in Guyana on February 14, 2019, they were allegedly paid for their first three days of work and were not paid until June 1, 2019, when Shaw handed them G$100,000 each.
Further, Shaw took away their passports after they inquired about the remainder of monies owed. The prosecution is contending that Shaw held the passports after telling the men that he was applying for an extension of stay for them in Guyana, but never returned the documents.
Shaw was released on G$100,000 bail. The case will continue on September 11, 2019.
