T&T businesswoman on charge of trafficking Guyanese

(Trinidad Express) The wife of a murdered businessman has appeared in court charged under the Trafficking in Persons Act.

Alana Lagan, who is six weeks’ pregnant, appeared before the Princes Town court charged with receiving two Guyanese nationals for the purpose of exploitation.

The charge, laid under Section 16 of the Trafficking in Persons Act, alleged that on May 13 and July 17, 2014, at Jordan Hill Village, Cipero Road, Princes Town, she received a Guyanese man and woman for the purpose of exploitation.  Lagan was charged by acting Corporal Gangoo of the Counter Trafficking Unit.

Lagan, 32, of Princes Town, first appeared before a justice of the peace on Monday and bail was refused. The matter was adjourned to the following day when the proprietress faced Senior Magistrate Debra Quintyne.

Three weeks ago, her husband, burger cart owner Rishi Chatoor, was one of two men murdered outside a bar in St John’s. He was shot multiple times.

In court, Mohammed, who appeared alongside attorney Shaun Teekasingh on Lagan’s behalf, said she was a single mother who had a burger business at four locations. Quintyne placed her on TT$250,000 bail with the condition that she surrender her passport and report to the police station every Saturday.

The matter was adjourned to July 9.