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DPP to extradite woman facing human trafficking charges

DPP to extradite woman facing human trafficking charges

State Counsel, Meli Vosawale today told Suva High Court Judge Justice Daniel Goundar that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions was in the process of making an application for the extradition of Geeta Ram from Australia.

Ram is charged with offences relating to human trafficking and obtaining property by deception.

Vosawale said there has not been any movement made by Geeta Ram to return to Fiji so they will be making an application for extradition.

Sisters, Seta Ram and Geeta Ram allegedly facilitated the travel of 17 Fijian citizens who were exploited through slavery and became victims of human trafficking in Auckland, New Zealand and the alleged offence took place in 2014.

The other sister appeared in court today.

The two had been operating a travel agent business from Nina Street, Suva and are alleged to have placed an advertisement in one of the newspapers about employment opportunities in New Zealand.

Victims were allegedly exploited in New Zealand as the suspects organised and facilitated the exit of the victims from Fiji, and in facilitating the exit were reckless as to whether the victims will be exploited.

The victims were allegedly exploited through forced labour to work in unfavourable weather conditions, less or no wage and living conditions where male and female victims had to share one room.

Both suspects had remitted and received more than $83,000 to and from New Zealand from an accomplice Faroz Ali who was convicted in New Zealand for human trafficking offences with an imprisonment sentence of 9 years and 6 months.

The case will called again on the 1st of March, 2019.

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