Wildlife trader, Feezal Shaw was recently sentenced to three years imprisonment and fined $2.1 million in restitution to the survivors after being found guilty on a single count of Trafficking in Persons (TIP).
Shaw, of Soedyke Public Road, appeared before Magis-trate Faith McGusty earlier this week and was handed down the sentence following a lengthy trial period.
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.
A release from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, said it has been a case they have been following since 2018 and appearing at every hearing in support the survivors.
The convicted businessman brought the victims from another country and forced them to work at a ‘local zoo.’
The conditions in which the survivors were forced to work was described as inhumane and subjected to substandard living conditions.
Commenting on the sentencing in the release, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud said her ministry which aims at countering Trafficking in Persons is not only pleased with the sentence but also the attachment of the fine in restitution to the victims.
“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,” Minister Persaud said.
She added that the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit has been actively working to ensure persons who engage in Traffick-ing in Persons face the full force of the law and they are satisfied at the penalty imposed.
Further the minister noted that her ministry has 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.”
Adding her voice to the judgement, Head of the Unit, Tanisha Williams-Corbin said “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.”
Shaw was found guilty of the crime in early February. His sentencing was put off for a probation report.
The charges brought against Shaw stated that between February 14th and June 14th, 2018, at Soesdyke, he engaged in trafficking in persons, that is, he recruited, harboured or transported Eduardo Vivas and Jose Rodriguez to work but did not pay them.
In 2018, similar charges were brought against Shaw, but were later dismissed due to the Pro-secutor failing to make an application for the Administration of Justice Act (AJA) to be applied which would have seen the defendant entering a plea to the charge and subsequently facing a trial. Instead, a preliminary inquiry was done which eventually led to Shaw being freed. The charges were later reinstituted before Magistrate Annette Singh in 2019, and Shaw pleaded not guilty. He was granted bail in the sum of $100,000.
The court had heard that on February 14th, 2018, the victims, both Venezuelan nationals, were invited to Guyana to work for Shaw who owned South American Unlimited, located in Soesdyke, and were allegedly told that they would be building cages for the defendant’s exotic animals. They were reportedly paid for their first three days and then were not paid anything until June 1st, 2018, when they were given $100,000. It was said that they later asked for the monies owed to them which were given to them. It was then alleged that Shaw took the victims’ passports and told them that he would arrange for them to have more time in the country but he never returned the documents to the two men.
Persons are asked to report suspected trafficking cases the hotline on 227-4083 or 623-5030. For Spanish speaking persons, contact can be made to 624-0079.
