Magistrate Faith McGusty, earlier this week sentenced Feezal Shaw to three years imprisonment on one account of Trafficking in Persons, a release from the Ministry of Human Services said today.
Shaw, a wildlife trader of Soesdyke Public Road was also ordered to pay two million, one hundred and twenty-seven thousand dollars ($2,127,000) in restitution to the survivor.
This restitution request was presented by a senior officer attached to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit as the Unit continues to support survivors of this egregious act, the release said.
The release said that the Ministry has been closely following this case since 2018, appearing at every hearing and supporting the survivors. The convicted businessman brought the victims from another country and forcing them to work on what is called a ‘local zoo’, the release added.
The conditions in which the survivors were forced to work can only be described as “inhumane and subjected to substandard living conditions”, the ministry said.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud said, “The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit has been actively working to ensure persons who engage in Trafficking in Persons face the full force of the law and today we are satisfied that there is not only a conviction but restitution has been awarded to the victim.to see The Ministry is serious when it comes to human trafficking. We have also been doing a lot of countrywide and specialized sensitization to heighten awareness to encourage reporting and advise persons of the support to survivors that we offer. I hope many more perpetrators face the full force of the law in the future, …a conviction and restitution are steps in the direction we want”, she said.
“The restitution is a significant step in the right direction and I believe it will definitely let the person affected understand that justice is served and I am pleased to know justice was served in this case,” Persaud added.
“We at the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit are quite committed to our cause, we are committed to advocating and ensuring victims of human trafficking get the necessary justice they deserve. We are satisfied the perpetrator was brought to justice and also elated that the survivor will be compensated,” head of the unit Tanisha Williams-Corbin said in the release.
The Ministry encouraged persons to report all suspicious activities to the hotline on 227-4083 or 623-5030. For Spanish speaking persons, contact can be made to 624-0079.
